Magnet-assisted transfection, also known as magnetic force–assisted transfection or simply magnetofection, is a relatively new technique for transferring genetic material into living cells by using magnetic fields. Developed in the early 2000s, the method shows great promise in a variety of areas ranging from basic research to therapeutics.

The first step in magnetofection is to attach the nucleic acid of choice to a magnetic nanoparticle, most commonly iron oxides. Upon the formation of a nucleic acid–nanoparticle complex, the complex is added to the cells of interest on a magnetic plate. During an incubation period, the magnetic field forces the iron particle to the surface of the cell membrane, where cellular uptake occurs by either endocytosis or pinocytosis. The nucleic acid is released into the cell cytoplasm, while the magnetic nanoparticle degrades.

The advantages of magnet–assisted transfection over traditional transfection techniques are numerous. Unlike lipofection, magnetofection requires minimal chemical processing, which decreases the incubation period and, more importantly, the toxicity, resulting in higher transfer efficiencies. Similar to electroporation, the technique does not use electrical force, therefore, cell viability is greatly increased. In addition, magnetic-assisted transfection has been shown to be successful in transfecting both adherent and suspension cell types.

There are only a handful of companies involved in the magnetofection market. IBA GmbH is among the market leaders. It offers a variety of reagents and hardware, including the MATra line of magnetic nanoparticles (MagTag), which can be optimized with a variety of nucleic acids including siRNA. In addition, the company offers cell immobilizers and magnetic plates in configurations ranging from single- to 96-well formats. OZ Biosciences, another supplier of magnetofection products, offers a variety of reagents, including NeuroMag for neuron transfection and SilenceMag for siRNA applications. OZ Biosciences also sells hardware such as magnetic plates in various formats. NanoTherics, a UK company, recently introduced the magnefect-nano, a magnet-assisted transfection system that uses the same magnetofection principles. However, it integrates dynamic oscillating magnets to further increase transfection speed and efficiency.

The current market for magnet-assisted transfection is relatively small compared to the total transfection market, which accounted for nearly a billion dollars in 2008. Since magnet-assisted transfection was only commercialized a few years ago, the market can be expected to grow as the technique is more widely adopted and used with more cell types. The use of magnetofection in the biotech market will also increase as high-throughput applications become more refined. In addition, demand will grow due to funding support for stem cell research, while therapeutic applications will also play a significant role.

Magnet-Assisted Transfection at a Glance:

Leading Suppliers

• IBA GmbH

• OZ Biosciences

• nanoTherics

Largest Markets

• Academia

• Government

• Biotechnology

Instrument Cost

• $500–$3,000