Vector

In biology, this is the material used to carry genetic information into a cell. Although vectors can vary, viruses (retroviruses, adenoviruses, etc.) are most commonly used for this purpose, but synthetic structures are also possible. Vectors are small DNA molecules capable of independently replicating. Cloned genes or foreign DNA fragments are inserted into them. Plasmids or viral DNA (bacteriophages) are commonly used as cloning vectors.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė