[Lentiviral vectors].

The delivery of genetic material to mammalian cells has a great importance for modern fundamental biology, biomedicine, biotechnology, agriculture and veterinary medicine. The development of new efficient techniques of gene transfer to human cells has led to the establishment of gene therapy, a novel type of treatment targeting severe metabolic disorders, some viral infections, including HIV, autoimmune diseases and genetic defects causing cancer. This review summarizes the achievements in lentiviral-mediated gene transfer, a powerful tool for use in human gene therapy and transgenic research, with a special focus on the genome structure and life cycle of lentiviruses, as well as on the design and safety aspects of lentiviral vector systems.