Viral vectors for gene delivery to the nervous system

Our ability to manipulate the genetic constitution of the nervous system has come of age with various technologies, including virus vectors that can efficiently deliver genes to neurons and other neural cells in vitro and in vivo. These vectors allow us to monitor neurobiological functions, replace, correct, express or block expression of target genes, tag cells for fate determination, and change the physiological state of specific cell populations. The available vectors differ in their suitability for different applications, which depends on factors such as the size of the transgene, route of delivery, tropism, duration and regulation of gene expression, and side effects.