Mesothelioma - Gene Therapy Related Terms

Ex vivo
Gene transfer: transfer of genetic material to cells located outside the host. Following transfer of the genetic material, the cells are then implanted back into the host. This term has also been called the indirect method of gene transfer.

In vivo
Gene transfer: transfer of genetic material to cells located within the host. This has also been termed the direct method of gene transfer.

Gene therapy
The transfer of selected genes into a host with the hope of ameliorating or curing a disease state.

Cell therapy (genome therapy)
The transfer of entire cells, that have not been genetically modified, into a host with the hope that the transferred cells will engraft into and improve host function.

Somatic gene transfer
Transfer of genes to non-germline tissues in the hope of correcting the disease state of a patient.

Germline gene
Transfer of genes to germline (eggs or sperm) tissues in the hope of altering the genome of future generations.

Transgene
The selected gene tested in a gene transfer experiment. For example, if you wished to treat a patient for phenylketonuria, you might plan to transfer a corrected version of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene into the liver cells. In this example, the corrected version of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene would be the transgene.

Reporter gene
Genes which are used to test the efficiency of gene transfer. Examples include genes encoding luceriferase, galactosidase, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase.

Gene transfer vector
The mechanism by which the gene is transferred into a cell.

Transfer efficiency
The percentage of cells which are expressing the desired transgene.

RAC (Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee)
The NIH committee which advises the NIH director on approval of Public Health Service supported gene therapy protocols.