Comparison of three nonviral transfection methods for foreign gene expression in early chicken embryos in ovo.

By using three nonviral transfection methods, i.e., microparticle bombardment, lipofection and electroporation, the transfection efficiency and the expression intensity of a lacZ reporter gene were compared in developing chicken embryos in ovo. Of the three transfection methods employed, electroporation conferred the strongest expression of the bacterial lacZ gene with similar transfection efficiency. The results suggest that as far as transient gene expression is concerned, electroporation would provide a useful and efficient nonviral means of foreign gene transfection to somatic cells of living chicken embryos in ovo.