[1] It is used to increase the transfection efficiency of RNA (including mRNA and siRNA) or plasmid DNA into in vitro cell cultures by lipofection.
[1] Lipofectamine contains lipid subunits that can form liposomes in an aqueous environment, which entrap the transfection payload, e.g. DNA plasmids.
Lipofectamine consists of a 3:1 mixture of DOSPA (2,3‐dioleoyloxy‐N‐ [2(sperminecarboxamido)ethyl]‐N,N‐dimethyl‐1‐propaniminium trifluoroacetate) and DOPE,[2] which complexes with negatively charged nucleic acid molecules to allow them to overcome the electrostatic repulsion of the cell membrane.
[3] The DNA-containing liposomes (positively charged on their surface) can fuse with the negatively charged plasma membrane of living cells, due to the neutral co-lipid mediating fusion of the liposome with the cell membrane, allowing nucleic acid cargo molecules to cross into the cytoplasm for replication or expression.
[4] US Active US7479573B2, Yongliang Chu; Malek Masoud & Gulliat Gebeyehu, "Transfection reagents", assigned to Life Technologies Corp and Invitrogen Group