LIPOFECTAMINE® is mixture of (N-(1-(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl)-N-(2-(sperminecarboxamido)ethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium trifluoroacetate (“DOSPA”) and (“DOPE”)
Lipofectamine reagent contains lipid subunits that can form liposomes in an aqueous environment, which entrap the transfection payload, i.e. DNA plasmids.
Lipofectamine is a cationic liposome formulation, which complexes with negatively charged nucleic acid molecules to allow them to overcome the electrostatic repulsion of the cell membrane.] Lipofectamine's cationic lipid molecules are formulated with a neutral co-lipid (helper lipid). The DNA-containing liposomes (with positive charge on their surfaces) can fuse with the negatively charged plasma membrane of living cells, due to the neutral co-lipid mediating fusion of the liposome with the cell membrane, allowing nucleic acid to cross into the cytoplasm and contents to be available to the cell for replication or expression