WORKFLOW KIT · CELL ENGINEERING

T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit

Deliver cytokine armoring, gene knockouts, and functional enhancers into primary human T cells.

Every kit includes: Portal-sourced RNA · Optimized protocols · MicroBooster™ cartridges · Suggested readouts · Reagents

Upgrade your workflow

Co-deliver mRNA, siRNA, CRISPR RNP, and proteins into the same primary T cell in a single step, without viral vectors or electroporation, so you can arm, edit, and trace cells in one workflow while keeping them healthy.

The problem

Functional enhancement of primary T cells usually means stacking separate steps, one for editing, one for cytokine support, one for a reporter, each with its own viral vector or electroporation hit. Resting T cells are especially hard to engineer, and every added round costs viability and time.

With this kit

Portal's Gateway™ mechanoporation transiently opens primary T cells with a gentle mechanical squeeze, letting you co-deliver mRNA, CRISPR RNP, and tracers together. mRNA expresses within hours and knockouts appear by 24h+, all in unstimulated cells, with a phenotype that stays closer to untouched controls than electroporation.

How the kits work

Every Portal kit runs the same five steps. The cargo and the readout change from kit to kit. The Gateway™ boost stays the same.

Portal has the Solution

Isolate

T cells, PBMCs, or target cell type

Mix

Cells + cargo (RNA / RNP / both)

Boost

Gateway™ mechanoporation

Rest & Expand

RNA expression within hrs; KO at 24h+

Assay

Cytotoxicity / expression

Unbiased, validated intracellular hits

85+%

Multiplex-delivered T cells (GFP⁺ / B2M-edited / tracer⁺)

Multiplexed

Multiple RNPs and RNAs in a single boost

Across Cell States

Unstimulated T cells, activated T cells, and TILs

What's in the box

The cargo and protocols below make this kit specific. The core consumables, settings, and support ship with every Portal kit.

Available Cargoes

mbIL2
mbIL12
Perforin
Gzmb
B2M KO
TRAC KO

Don't see your cargo? Ask us about custom configurations

Reagents & Consumables

Delivery tracer
MicroBooster™

Protocol & Settings

Step-by-step delivery protocol
Recommended cell concentrations
Suggested assay readouts

Support

Portal RNA sourcing
Optional: hands-on implementation visit

Available Cargoes

mbIL2
mbIL12
Perforin
Gzmb
B2M KO
TRAC KO

Don't see your cargo? Ask us about custom configurations

Reagents & Consumables

Delivery tracer
MicroBooster™

Protocol & Settings

Step-by-step delivery protocol
Recommended cell concentrations
Suggested assay readouts

Support

Portal RNA sourcing
Optional: hands-on implementation visit

Proof Points

Multiplex Delivery

T cells boosted with CRISPR RNP, mRNA, and Dextran together. In unstimulated T cells, ~85.7% were positive for GFP expression, B2M editing, and dextran delivery after a single boost.

Functional Cytotoxicity

T cells engineered with simultaneous circRNA delivery of a CD19 CAR and mbIL-12. Boosted cells co-express both, and cytotoxicity rises with the effector-to-target ratio.

Cytokine Engineering

Engineering TILs to express membrane-bound IL-2 and IL-12 improves expansion and enriches for central-memory-like cells while decreasing terminal-effector-like cells.

Transcriptomic Preservation

Fewer misregulated genes than electroporation at 6h and 24h post-delivery. Mechanoporated T cells stay closer to untouched controls. (DiTommaso et al., 2018, PNAS.)

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Broad Compatibility

Portal’s platform supports delivery to a diverse range of cell types and cargoes

Delivery materials

Validated cell types

mRNA, siRNA, saRNA

Proteins & Peptides

CRISPR RNPs

Small Molecules

Polymers

Nanoparticles

Antibodies

Virus

PBMCs

T cells

B cells

NK cells

iPSCs

Monocytes

RBCs

HSCs

Delivery materials

mRNA, siRNA, saRNA

Proteins & Peptides

CRISPR RNPs

Small Molecules

Polymers

Nanoparticles

Antibodies

Virus

Validated cell types

PBMCs

T cells

B cells

NK cells

iPSCs

Monocytes

RBCs

HSCs

What cargo can the T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit deliver?The T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit delivers cytokine armoring, gene knockouts, and functional enhancers into primary human T cells. Available cargoes include mbIL2, mbIL12, Perforin, granzyme B (Gzmb), B2M knockout, and TRAC knockout. Each can be supplied as mRNA, CRISPR RNP, protein, siRNA, or a dextran tracer, and Portal Biosciences builds custom configurations on request.

Can I deliver CRISPR RNP and mRNA into T cells at the same time?Yes. The T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit co-delivers mRNA, CRISPR RNP, and a dextran tracer into primary human T cells in one Gateway™ boost. In unstimulated T cells, roughly 85.7% came back triple-positive (GFP+ / B2M-edited / dextran+), so you can install cytokine armoring and a gene knockout together in a single step rather than sequentially.

Does the T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit work in unstimulated, resting T cells?Yes. The kit boosts cargo into unstimulated, resting primary human T cells and PBMCs, so no prior activation or expansion is required. Gateway™ mechanoporation gives each cell a gentle mechanical squeeze that transiently opens it, letting mRNA, CRISPR RNP, or protein enter directly. Delivering into resting cells keeps the T cell phenotype closer to its native state.

Is a viral vector required for Portal's intracellular delivery?No. Portal Biosciences' Gateway™ delivery is non-viral and uses no electroporation. Gateway™ mechanoporation applies a gentle mechanical squeeze that briefly opens each cell so cargo diffuses in, delivering mRNA, CRISPR RNP, protein, siRNA, or dextran. Skipping viral vectors avoids packaging-size limits, and skipping electroporation avoids the stress an electric pulse puts on primary T cells.

How is mechanoporation different from electroporation?Mechanoporation gives each cell a gentle mechanical squeeze that transiently opens it, whereas electroporation uses an electric pulse that can stress primary T cells. In a published comparison (DiTommaso et al., 2018, PNAS), mechanoporation left fewer misregulated genes at 6 and 24 hours, keeping the cell's phenotype closer to untouched controls. Portal's Gateway™ system applies this gentler approach.

What T cell viability and expression timing can I expect with the kit?Portal reports greater than 90% post-boost viability in primary human T cells with the T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit. Delivered mRNA begins expressing within hours, while CRISPR RNP knockouts such as B2M or TRAC become detectable by 24 hours and beyond. Because Gateway™ mechanoporation is gentle, treated cells stay closer to untouched controls than electroporated cells.

Can the kit add cytokines and knock out genes in the same boost?Yes. In one Gateway™ boost, the T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit can add cytokine armoring (mbIL2, mbIL12) and cytotoxic enhancers (Perforin, granzyme B) while knocking out genes such as B2M and TRAC in primary human T cells. Combining mRNA, CRISPR RNP, and a dextran tracer in a single step avoids the repeated handling that sequential methods require.

Ready to run the T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit?

Request the kit and a Portal scientist will spec it for your cells, cargo, and readout.

T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit

Upgrade your workflow

How the kits work

What's in the box

Proof Points

Multiplex Delivery

Functional Cytotoxicity

Cytokine Engineering

Transcriptomic Preservation

More Cell Therapy kits

iPSC Generation

APC Enhancement

HSC Enhancement

Neuronal Differentiation

Broad Compatibility

Portal’s platform supports delivery to a diverse range of cell types and cargoes

Frequently asked questions

Ready to run the T Cell Functional Enhancement Kit?