Pronuclear Microinjection

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the invention of the term "transgenic" and the development of pronuclear microinjection, a straightforward technique designed to transfer genetic information from nearly any living organism to mammals. After two decades of use, pronuclear microinjection protocols have changed little from the reliable, if not efficient, method described by Gordon and Ruddle. Experience has taught us that once microinjection skills are perfected there are only a few parameters one needs to be concerned about to successfully produce transgenic animals. Those parameters will be discussed, as will some new innovations that promise to finally increase efficiency of pronuclear microinjection methodology.