Microinjection is a well established technique used routinely for injection of animal cells, tissues and embryos to insert genetic material such as DNA, RNA, proteins and macromolecules directly into animal cells or embryos a cell cytoplasm or nucleus. Genetic material is inserted via a needle varying in size from 0.5uM to 20uM in diameter. The needle penetrates the cell membrane and/or the nuclear envelope. The process is performed, observed and controlled by using a micromanipulator specialized microscope set up. This technique is widely used by researchers for genetic engineering of cells by modifying, silencing or creating knockouts to study gene targeting and function.

Microinjection and electroporation can be combined for the transfection of mammalian cells and tissues for gene therapy applications. This highly effective method is routinely used to insert genes into early stage pronuclear embryos for transgenic development applications for therapeutics. Microinjection is routinely used for nuclear transfer applications, cell biology and viral studies.