Lentiviral vectors

Lentiviral vectors serve as versatile tools in genetic engineering and gene therapy. The transduction efficiency of these vectors relies on the number of mature lentiviral particles; particles with a membrane decorated with glycoproteins, and a capsid containing viral genome. These structural elements can be observed through cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryoTEM) and transformed into statistical data for comparing products across different manufacturing stages.

The integrity of the vectors and the presence of intact genomic core structures indicate the product's quality and efficacy. Additionally, TEM plays a crucial role in identifying impurities such as cellular debris and proteins, which can be harmful to CAR-T cells during transduction. Furthermore, TEM facilitates the assessment of product stability by analyzing vector size and aggregation.