Membrane fusion technology is alternative to gene transfection

Fuse-It reagents, from ibidi GmbH, are a new alternative to gene transfection. This product line uses membrane fusion as a method of transferring various molecules and particles into living cells. The speed and efficiency of this technique cuts down experiment times from days to minutes.

Membrane fusion makes it possible to effectively incorporate different classes of molecules into the cellular membrane or into the cytoplasm. With the Fuse-It product line, ibidi, in co-operation with beniag GmbH, offers a wide range of specifically optimised solutions for various molecular classes, which are required for a wide range of applications (eg, dyes, proteins, lipids, and beads).

Fuse-It also provides really fast results-within only seconds to a few minutes - independent of cell type, cell density, and developmental state

Fuse-It also provides really fast results-within only seconds to a few minutes-independent of cell type, cell density, and developmental state. Due to systematic adaptations of the liposome composition, Fuse-It products guarantee fusion efficiencies up to 80-100%. Additionally, the very short incubation times provide an almost unaffected cell behavior after the molecule transfer. These advantages make membrane fusion a strong strategy for functional studies and therapeutic approaches in cancer research and cell biology.

The incorporation of small liposomal carriers into the plasma membrane of mammalian cells is the idea behind all of ibidi's Fuse-It products. Specific liposomal carriers are able to attach and instantly fuse with plasma membranes in a physicochemical-driven manner. Since Fuse-It reagents use this mechanism and fuse immediately upon contact with mammalian cell surfaces, the transfer of molecules is independent of biological processes, such as endocytosis, pinocytosis, and specific receptor binding.

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