Aim To present a new method called magnetolipofection which can transfect cells in a specific area of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) by magnetic force as a non-viral gene transfection.

Methods ARPE-19 (a human RPE cell line) cells were cultured with a mixture of cationic lipid, plasmid DNAs and magnetite nanoparticles. A sheet of ARPE-19 cells was transfected in the vertical direction by placing a magnet under the centre of the culture plate. Horizontal gene transfection was also performed.

Results When magnetolipofection was performed in the vertical direction, there was a significantly larger number of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive cells where the magnet was placed than in the peripheral area, and the number was equivalent to the number transfected with Lipofectamine2000. In the horizontal direction, there was also a significantly larger number of GFP-positive cells, but there was almost no gene transfer detected using Lipofectamine2000.

Conclusion The area of gene transfection can be controlled by the placement of a magnet in the area selected to be transfected in vitro by magnetolipofection. This method can be used to transfect RPE cells in selected areas which should be helpful for experimental and clinical applications.