7.1.2 Adenovirus Vectors

Adenoviruses, generally infect a variety of tissues including hypatocytes (liver cells), muscle cells, cardiac myocytes, synoviocytes (joints tissues, primary epithelial cells, and neurons (nervous system and brain). Therefore they offer a wide variety of gene therapy applications. (Kotir 1994, and Schneider, et al 1998). The virus is not enveloped, the capsid consists of three types of protein, and some are important for receptor binding and cell internalization. Its genome is a double stranded DNA. When infection, it does not integrate with the host genome, but remains as episome in the target cells. Thus avoiding the dangers of uncontrolled integration.