CMV-hTERT(GFP, Puro) Lentiviral Particles

CMV-hTERT(GFP, Puro) lentiviral particles are sophisticated tools for gene manipulation and cell engineering, designed to deliver the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene into target cells. This lentiviral vector system utilizes the EF1α promoter to drive hTERT expression, renowned for its potent and constitutive expression in mammalian cells. The introduction of GFP (green fluorescent protein) serves as a visual reporter gene, enabling researchers to easily monitor transduction efficiency and track transduced cells using fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry. Furthermore, a puromycin resistance gene provides an efficient screening mechanism, enriching successfully transduced cells upon puromycin treatment. This dual screening feature ensures high purity and homogeneity of the cell population, crucial for subsequent experiments. The lentiviral backbone itself offers numerous advantages, such as high transduction efficiency, stable integration into the host genome, and the ability to infect both dividing and non-dividing cells, making it suitable for a variety of cell types.

The primary application of this lentiviral vector is cell immortalization, a key process for extending the lifespan of primary cells cultured in vitro. By introducing hTERT (a gene that maintains telomere length and inhibits cellular senescence), researchers can establish stable cell lines that retain key physiological characteristics of primary cells. This is particularly important for studying long-term cellular processes, disease modeling, and drug screening, as the limited lifespan of cells often restricts experimental scope. The system also supports functional genomics research, such as CRISPR screening libraries, where hTERT expression ensures cell survival in long-term experiments. Overall, this lentiviral tool accelerates research in aging, cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering by providing a reliable method for generating immortalized cells with traceable markers and selectable characteristics.