Résumé
Transfection of the β-galactosidase gene in quiescent cultures of adult rat hepatocytes with the calcium phosphate precipitate or the lipofection methods gave a higher level of β-galactosidase gene expression with the lipofection than with the calcium phosphate precipitate method, but the transfection efficiency was weak in both cases. Transfection of hepatocytes stimulated to proliferate before transfection either in vivo by partial hepatectomy or in vitro by epidermal growth factor was more efficient than transfection of quiescent hepatocytes, and the lipofection method gave better results than the calcium phosphate precipitate method.