With the in-depth study of gene therapy, the gene transfection techniques have achieved rapid development. Since it was proposed in 1997, reverse transfection concept has also aroused considerable attention. Reverse gene transfection is also known as surface-mediated transfection or matrix-mediated transfection, or solid-phase transfection. In a typical procedure of reverse transfection, DNA (or RNA) is firstly anchored to the substrate; cells are transplanted on the substrate surface in the next step; the adsorbed DNA (or RNA) is internalized into post-attached cells to realize the gene transfection. Compared with conventional gene transfection, the reverse method is imparted with several advantages including more stable complexation of vector/DNA (or RNA), more effective contact between the transfection reagent and cells, which is favourable for achieving higher transfection efficiency and lower cytotoxicity, and well-maintained transfection performance in the presence of serum. The recent research progress of reverse gene transfection and its applications are focused on in this review.

Contents
1 Introduction 2 Approaches to reverse gene transfection
2.1 Nucleic acid (and vector) directly anchored to the substrate surface
2.2 Electrostatic adsorption
2.3 Layer-by-layer
2.4 Hydrogen bond
2.5 Specific interaction
2.6 Covalent bond
3 Applications of reverse gene transfection
3.1 Tissue engineering
3.2 Gene screening
3.3 Primary cells
3.4 Non-adherent cells
4 Conclusion and perspective