title: RNA interference: a practical approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few new molecular biology techniques have advanced to find practical application as rapidly as RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi denotes the highly specific posttranslational silencing of gene expression that occurs in response to the introduction of double-stranded RNA into a cell. The purpose of this review is to present practical guidelines for designing and executing RNAi experiments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of recent literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We summarize the mechanisms underlying RNAi in mammalian cells and focus on practical advice for investigators conducting RNAi experiments. We suggest criteria to help select a suitable target gene sequence, define the structural characteristics of effective siRNAs, discuss transfection strategies, and describe experimental design, including important control methods. RNAi represents a powerful tool for determining the functions of specific genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Duxbury
authors.forename: Edward E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Whang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015394:Molecular Structure; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D034743:RNA-Induced Silencing Complex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D012107:Research Design; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D034743:RNA-Induced Silencing Complex