Non-viral vectors include:
Non-viral delivery uses chemically defined materials condensing nucleic acids avoiding viral capsid immunity and packaging limits. Cationic liposomes DOTAP, DOTMA, helper DOPE facilitating hexagonal phase transition, and cholesterol stabilizing bilayer electrostatically interact with negatively charged phosphate backbone plasmid DNA or mRNA condensing into lipoplexes 100-300 nm diameter positive zeta potential promoting binding anionic proteoglycans initiating endocytosis via clathrin and caveolae. Modern LNPs employ ionizable lipids DLin-MC3-DMA neutral at physiological pH 7.4 minimizing toxi
Ref: Lodish Molecular Cell Biology Non-viral Vectors Chap 9; NIH Non-viral Gene Delivery Liposomes Review; Alberts Membrane Fusion Liposome Mechanism.
