Retroviral Vectors From Laboratory Tools to Molecular Medicines

The descrrptron of the first retrovtral packaging cell lme in the early 1980s mtroduced the technology by which a wide varietyof different genes could be reliably and efficiently transduced into target cells using retrovnal vectors (I). Although theearly prototype packaging systems were not optimal, the use of retrovual vectors in the laboratory raprdly became wrdespreadRecombmant retrovnuses can be used to Introduce single copies of cloned genes into cultured cells in vitro, allowing mvestrgatorsto study gene function very precisely in both quahtattve and quantitative ways Subsequently, recombinant retrovnuses havebeen used for in vrvo mfectrons provrding data on developmental and cell lineage relatronshrps in intact organisms. As theunderstanding of retrovnology and vectorology has become more refined, the opportumtres for the use of retrovn-al vectorshave expanded to answer a variety of more specrahzed questions both in vitro and in VIVO. Most recently, the issues of safetyand efficiency of gene transfer have been addressed, and retrovnal vectors have become the most frequently used vectors fortherapeutrc mterventron using gene transfer to treat genetic disease (gene therapy) Although much remains to be done beforeretrovnal vectors are optrmally useful in thus field, the transmon from crude experrmental tools to potenttal molecular medicinesin lust over a decade is a testament to the potential value that retrovnal vectors offer to the many drfferent branches ofthe research commumty