Gene transfer in cultured ganglion neurons by DNA/calcium phosphate co-precipitation and gene activation by NGF signal.

The co-precipitation of DNA with calcium phosphate has been successfully employed to transfect cultured chicken embryonic sensory neurons (DRG). Up to 90% of the cultured DRG neurons were transfected by this method. This has allowed a study of the intracellular second messengers involved in signal transduction and gene activation by NGF in DRG neurons. This method can be used to introduce foreign DNA also in rat DRG, striatal and hippocampal neurons in culture.