Abstract
The maintenance of physiological relevance in cell models while introducing nucleic acids and other molecules is key to effective life science research and the efficient development of novel therapies. The increasing drive toward use of primary cells is triggered by the limitations of ‘easy-to-use’ cell lines, such as their predictive power regarding whole-organism physiology. The use of physiologically relevant and validated cell models together with technologies enabling the fine dissection of signal transduction and metabolic pathways is pivotal in increasing the efficiency of pharmaceutical research and development.