The transfer of genetic material into endocrine cells and tissues, both in vitro and in vivo, has been identified as critical for the study of endocrine mechanisms and the future treatment of endocrine disorders. Classical methods of gene transfer, such as transfection, are inefficient and limited mainly to delivery into actively proliferating cells in vitro. The development of viral vector gene delivery systems is beginning to circumvent these initial setbacks. Several kinds of viruses, including retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, and herpes simplex virus, have been manipulated for use in gene transfer and gene therapy applications. As different viral vector systems have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, they each have applications for which they are best suited. This review will discuss viral vector systems that have been used for gene transfer into the endocrine system, and recent developments in viral vector technology that may improve their use for endocrine applications - chimeric vectors, viral vector targeting and transcriptional regulation of transgene expression.

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