Table 1.

Advantages and disadvantages of viral and nonviral vectors.

Vectors	Advantages	Disadvantages
Viral	High transfection efficiency, sustained expression of vector, the complex assembly process is completed by the cells	Elicit immune response, risk of insertion, carcinogenesis, broad tropism, limited DNA packaging capacity, difficulty of vector production
Nonviral	Low immunogenic response, high loading capacity, chemical design flexibility, safe and stable, high transfection efficiency, biocompatible, easier to synthesize	Increased cytotoxicity for cationic lipids short half-lives, nonspecific binding to serum proteins for cationic carrier