A novel non-viral gene delivery system, Procationic-Liposome-Protamine-DNA complexes (PLPD) which could further adsorb transferrin on the surface as a targeting ligand to form Tf-PLPD, was prepared and characterized before and after lyophilization. The size distribution of Tf-PLPD was in the range of 240 +/- 12 nm and the zeta potential was -24.10 +/- 2.5 mV. The transfection efficiencies of PLPD and Tf-PLPD were 12.18 +/- 3.8 and 24.26 +/- 2.6 mU beta-galactosidase/mg protein respectively. The lyophilization and the presence of serum didn't affect the tansfectivities of PLPD or Tf-PLPD. Compared to Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen, U.S.A.), the procationic liposomes had less cytotoxicity to cells. In summary the procationic lipoplex described here, combining the condensing effect of protamine and the targeting capability of Tf, was a perspective non-viral vector for gene delivery system.