Skip to main content

Table 1 Current strategies to evaluate internalization of complexes into MSCs including uptake and inhibition assays

From: Non-viral gene delivery to human mesenchymal stem cells: a practical guide towards cell engineering

NAs

Fluorescent probe for labeling

Endocytic inhibitors

Analytical methods

Ref

miRNA (miR-218)

Alexa Fluor 647 (red, miRNA), Lysotracker Green (green, lysosomes), and Hoechst 33342 (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[182]

pDNA (pBMP-2)

FITC (green, PEI) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[5]

pDNA (pGFP)

Cy3 (red, pDNA), WGA-Alexa Fluor (green, cytoplasm) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Cy3 positive by FCM and confocal microscopy

[86]

miRNA (miR-133a)

Dy547 (red, miRNA)

NO

Fluorescence plate reader

[206]

pDNA (pBMP-2)

YOYO-1 (red, pDNA) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[177]

pDNA (pGFP and pluc)

YOYO-1 (red, pDNA)

Chlorpromazine, wortmannin, genistein, Me-β-CD, baf-A1, nocodazol, and aphidicolin

Confocal microscopy (internalization) and luminescence plate reader (pluc inhibition)

[187]

pDNA (pBMP-2)

Alex Fluor 594 conjugated dextran (red, MCMs) and pGFP (green)

Chlorpromazine, Me-β-CD, and amiloride

Fluorescence microscopy (internalization and pGFP inhibition)

[190]

pDNA (pBMP-2)

NO

Sucrose, LY294002, Me-β-CD and amiloride

ELISA (pBMP-2 inhibition)

[110]

siRNA (siRUNX2)

TAMRA (red, siRNA)

NO

TAMRA positive by FCM and fluorescence microscopy

[185]

pDNA (pBMP-2 and pTGF-β3)

Cy3 (red, pDNA), Alexa 488 Phalloidin (green, actin filaments) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[19]

miRNA (antmiR-138)

Cy3 (red, miRNA) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Fluorescence microscopy

[184]

siRNA (siNoggin)

Cy3 (red, siRNA)

NO

Fluorescence microscopy

[118]

pDNA (pGFP and pluc)

Rhodamine B (red, peptide) and Hoechst 33342 (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Fluorescence microscopy

[189]

pDNA (pGFP)

Rhodamine B (red, polyamide), Lysotracker Green DND-26 (green, endosomes) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

Chlorpromazine, genistein, Me-β-CD, and amiloride

Confocal microscopy (internalization) and FCM (pGFP inhibition)

[113]

pDNA (pOSX-GFP)

Texas red (red, PEI) and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[174]

miRNA

Dy547 (red, miRNA) and Calcein-AM (green, cytoplasm)

NO

Fluorescence microscopy

[207]

miRNA (antmiR-138)

Cy3 (red, miRNA) and Hoechst 33342 (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Fluorescence microscopy

[117]

miRNA (miR335-5p)

Cy5 (red, pDNA), Atto 565 dye (pink-red, MNPs), FluoReporter Oregon Green® (green, PEI), and DAPI (UV, cell nucleus)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[66]

miRNA (antmiR-138)

Cy3 (red, miRNA) and DIO (green, cell membrane)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[116]

pDNA (pTGF-β1)

NO

Chlorpromazine

Luminescence plate reader (pluc)

[135]

pDNA (psox9)

Cy5 (red, pDNA), RITC (red, NPs) and FITC (green, PEI-PLGA nanoparticles)

NO

Confocal microscopy

[27]

  1. Abbreviations: miRNA micro-RNA, UV ultraviolet, pDNA plasmid DNA, BMP-2 bone morphogenic protein-2, FITC fluorescein isothiocyanate, PEI polyethyleneimine, DAPI 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindol, OSX osterix, GFP green fluorescent protein, Cy3 cyanine 3, luc luciferase, Me-β-CD methyl-β-cyclodextrin, baf-A1 bafilomycin A1, MCM mineral-coated microparticles, RUNX2 runt-related transcription factor 2, Cy5 cyanine 5, TGF-β1 and -β3 transforming growth factor-β1 and -β3, sox9 sex-determining region Y-type high mobility group box 9, RITC rhodamine isothiocyanate, NPs nanoparticles, PLGA poly (DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid)