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Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection Kit
Transfection of HUVEC with a GFP-expression plasmid using the Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection Kit (Top) or a transfection reagent from another manufacturer.

Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection Kit

Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection Kit is a specialized plasmid DNA delivery system optimized specifically for primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

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Description

CAI Box Total Kit

Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection Kit is a specialized plasmid DNA delivery system optimized specifically for primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Many commercially available transfection systems are initially optimized using immortalized cell lines, which do not accurately predict performance in primary endothelial models. Primary endothelial cells are particularly sensitive to transfection reagents and can be difficult to transfect without compromising cell viability or endothelial phenotype. The Cytofect™ system is engineered to achieve efficient plasmid delivery while preserving cell health and physiological function.

HUVEC (Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells) are primary endothelial cells isolated from the inner lining of the umbilical cord vein. As a primary venous model, HUVEC are widely used in vascular research. When cultured under recommended conditions, HUVEC display the characteristic polygonal, cobblestone morphology of healthy vascular endothelium and express definitive markers, including von Willebrand factor (vWF).

Endothelial cells form the selectively permeable inner lining of blood vessels, regulating solute exchange, vascular tone, coagulation, leukocyte trafficking, and tissue repair. They actively sense vascular dynamics — such as fluid shear stress — and respond to biochemical cues including VEGF, hypoxia, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress. Although HUVEC represent a venous lineage and do not fully recapitulate arterial or microvascular organ-specific beds, they serve as a robust, highly reliable primary model for fundamental vascular biology.

The Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection Kit provides a complete reagent system containing Cytofect-2, an endosomolytic peptide Enhancer, transfection medium, and antibiotic-free growth medium. The peptide Enhancer complexes with plasmid DNA and Cytofect-2 to facilitate intracellular uptake and endosomal escape. Under optimized protocols, the system yields typical transfection efficiencies of 45–65% with cell viabilities between 85–95%, enabling robust downstream assays in hard-to-transfect primary cells.

Plasmid transfection in HUVEC allows researchers to transiently overexpress target genes, introduce reporter constructs, or evaluate regulatory sequences in a physiologically relevant background. Key research applications include:

  • Vascular Signaling & Angiogenesis: Investigating VEGF receptor pathways, capillary tube formation, and endothelial sprout dynamics.
  • Homeostasis & Gene Regulation: Analyzing regulatory mechanisms governing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and nitric oxide production.
  • Inflammation & Barrier Function: Studying leukocyte-endothelial adhesion, cell-junction integrity, and inflammatory cytokine activation.
  • Stress & Microenvironment Responses: Evaluating cellular responses to hypoxic signaling, fluid shear stress, and oxidative damage.
Transfected HUVEC can also be integrated into advanced 3D culture models, microfluidic organ-on-a-chip systems, and tissue engineering assays, providing a pre-screened primary cell foundation for vascular discovery.

Transfection, the introduction of nucleic acid into mammalian cells, is a powerful technique used to study in vivo gene function and regulation.  Cytofect™ HUVEC Transfection kit is a plasmid DNA delivery system specifically optimized to deliver DNA into HUVEC. This kit contains Cytofect-2, Enhancer and Media for transfection and culturing cells.  Peptide Enhancer complexes with DNA and Cytofect-2 and escorts the transfection complex to the nucleus.  This results in high transfection efficiency and viability for these traditionally hard-to-transfect primary cells.

#Wells / Reactions

96 / 1000

24 / 250

12 / 125

The Kit contains all necessary reagents, media and optimized protocols to carry out successful transfection of HUVEC with high efficiency (45%-65%) and viability (85%-95%).

Products are for research use only. They are not intended for human, animal, or diagnostic applications. TR1 and PE are manufactured by Targeting Systems.

Details

Kit Contents:
Cytofect-2
Peptide Enhancer (PE)
Antibiotics-Free Growth Medium
Transfection Medium
Designed to improve transfection efficiency and cell viability, Cytofect is a plasmid DNA delivery system containing Cytofect-2, Enhancer and Media for transfecting and culturing cells. The Enhancer is an endosomolytic peptide that complexes with DNA and Cytofect-2, then escorts the transfection complex to the nucleus. The results are high transfection efficiency and viability for traditionally hard-to-transfect cells.
Instructions TF200K

Format: PDF

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Instructions TF200KS

Format: PDF

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FAQs

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Cytofect™ Transfection Reagents: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Need More Help?

Visit our comprehensive FAQ page for detailed answers to common questions.

Cytofect™ Transfection Reagents: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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