Transient gene expression (TGE) from mammalian cells is an increasingly important tool for the rapid production of recombinant proteins for research applications in biochemistry, structural biology, and biomedicine. Here we review methods for the transfection of human embryo kidney (HEK-293) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in suspension culture using the cationic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI) for gene delivery. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.