How do I pass * characters in System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex.Replace

[Sal Sal]

I am using System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex.Replace(input , pattern, replacement, options) in c# to replace the input string. The pattern I am using may have one or more * or . or any other character basically inside mixed in with the rest of the string. I want to find this string in the input and replace it with something.

For example say my string is *000000000

I get the following error
System.ArgumentException: parsing "*000000000" - Quantifier {x,y} following nothing.

How do I treat the * as a regular character?

I tried replacing all instances of the * character with \* before passing it to replace function but in the final output I have the \ characters along with it...I do not want that.

Thanks in advance for any help

[Sal Sal]

actually I found something that works

I used Regex.Escape(pattern) to treat the * as a regular character. I pass that instead of pattern itself in the replace function.