Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cells reprogrammed from adult cells to a pluripotent state. They exhibit similar characteristics to embryonic stem cells, capable of differentiating into nearly all cell types in the body. This technology allows scientists to generate various cell types in vitro for research and therapy without the need for embryonic stem cells.

Cells from patients are isolated and reprogrammed into iPSCs, which are then induced to differentiate into specific cell types to create disease models. These models enable researchers to study disease mechanisms, uncover disease-related genes, and molecular pathways, thereby advancing the development of new therapies. By analyzing these cells, scientists can observe disease-related changes at the cellular level, providing new perspectives in disease research.

iPSCs have broad clinical potential, including applications in cell therapy (e.g., for diabetes or heart disease treatment), tissue engineering (e.g., development of artificial skin or liver tissue), and personalized drug screening (e.g., selecting optimal treatments based on a patient’s specific cellular response). These applications may transform treatment methods, offering more effective and personalized medical services.

Gene knock-in technology involves inserting an exogenous gene sequence into a specific location within the genome for gene function studies or disease treatment. Edigene utilizes advanced gene editing tools, such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system, to guide nucleases to cut the target DNA, and employs homology-directed repair or non-homologous end joining to accurately insert the gene at the desired location, achieving efficient and precise gene knock-in.

Gene knock-in plays a crucial role in drug development. It is used in target validation by introducing specific genes into cell lines or animal models to confirm drug target efficacy. It also aids in establishing disease models, testing drug efficacy and safety in these models, and supporting drug screening through high-throughput screening in knock-in cell lines to identify potential drug candidates. Additionally, gene knock-in helps uncover drug mechanisms, optimize drug structure, and improve dosing strategies, expediting drug development while enhancing efficacy and safety.

EDITGENE’s advantages in gene knock-in technology include: Guaranteed results: With 10 years of CRISPR gene editing experience and a team of PhDs from world-renowned institutions offering one-on-one support. High precision: EDITGENE’s optimized tools reduce off-target effects, enhancing editing accuracy. High efficiency: EDITGENE’s technology platform improves knock-in success rates, accelerating experimental progress. Customized service: Tailored knock-in solutions to meet specific research or therapeutic goals.

The main difference lies in the duration and stability of gene expression: Transient cell line – The target gene is expressed temporarily in cells, typically lasting hours to days, and is suitable for short-term experiments. Stable cell line – The target gene is stably integrated into the cell genome, allowing long-term expression, suitable for extended research and production.

Gene overexpression aids in studying the function of specific genes, revealing their role within the organism. It is also commonly used in drug screening, vaccine development, and protein production. For example, by overexpressing a therapeutic protein, researchers can evaluate its efficacy in disease models.

EDITGENE’s 3D single-cell printing technology employs non-contact operation, avoiding mechanical damage and background contamination, which helps maintain cell integrity and biological activity. This technology also minimizes human error in the traditional limited dilution method of monoclonal selection, ensuring the reliability of screening results.

EDITGENE utilizes industry-leading 3D single-cell printing technology, which enables precise isolation and positioning of individual cells, significantly increasing the success rate and efficiency of monoclonal screening. This technology is widely applied in biomedicine research, antibody development, drug screening, and therapeutic selection, showcasing broad application prospects in cell research.

What is the difference between a single-plasmid system and a dual-plasmid system for library vectors? A single-plasmid system can achieve gene editing with one transfection, making construction relatively simple, but the larger plasmid size can lead to lower infection efficiency. In a dual-plasmid system, two vectors are used, each carrying either the Cas9 or sgRNA expression cassette. A stable Cas9 cell line is first constructed, and then the sgRNA library is transfected into this cell line. This approach has several advantages:
1.Increased Editing Efficiency: The independent and stable expression of Cas9 protein and sgRNA on different vectors enhances editing efficiency.
2.Flexibility: Vectors can be designed and constructed flexibly based on experimental needs, such as loading two sgRNA expression cassettes into one vector.
3.Increased Viral Titer: By splitting into two plasmids, the load on each plasmid is reduced, facilitating viral packaging and increasing yield and titer.
4.Increased Stability: Independently constructing a stable Cas9 cell line ensures that the Cas9 expression levels and editing efficiency in each cell are approximately the same, enhancing experimental accuracy.

Cell selection can follow these principles:
1.It should align with the research objectives.
2.The genes targeted by the sgRNA library should correspond to the cell's lineage.
3.The cells should be capable of stable passaging.
4.The transfection efficiency should be high.
5.Avoid primary cells whenever possible. Primary cells cannot be stably passaged and may experience significant cell death during the library screening process, which can hinder experiment completion. If primary cells must be used for library screening, mitigating this risk can be achieved by lowering cell coverage and choosing a library with fewer gRNAs to minimize the cell pool size and shorten the experimental duration.

Maintaining the activity of cell cultures is crucial. Cells should not be allowed to reach confluence for more than 24 hours. Frozen new cells can restore transfection activity. The optimal cell plating density varies for different cell types or applications; however, for adherent cells, a confluence of 70% to 90% or a density of 5×10^5 to 2×10^6 suspended cells/ml typically yields good transfection results. It is important to ensure that cells are not fully confluent or in a fixed phase during transfection.

Selecting a suitable gene delivery system requires a comprehensive assessment based on specific experimental conditions, research objectives, and cell types. Quantitatively comparing various systems in terms of delivery efficiency, cytotoxicity, and stability is an important step in determining the choice.
Viral delivery systems are suitable for experiments that require high delivery efficiency and sustained gene expression, especially when cells can tolerate higher levels of cytotoxicity and immune responses. If lower cytotoxicity and immune response, along with ease of use and cost-effectiveness, are priorities, then a liposome-based gene delivery system should be chosen. For high delivery efficiency that involves delivering large DNA fragments, and if the user can accept a higher operational complexity, a gene gun delivery system is an optional method. If high delivery efficiency is needed while maintaining relative simplicity and no special equipment is required, then the electroporation delivery system may be a suitable choice.