Microarray technology

Microarray technology is a high-throughput method used in molecular biology and in medicine to measure the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously or to genotype multiple regions of a genome.

History[edit | edit source]

The development of microarray technology can be traced back to the early 1990s. The technology was initially developed to accelerate the process of gene discovery and understanding gene function.

Types of Microarrays[edit | edit source]

There are several types of microarrays, including DNA microarrays, protein microarrays, tissue microarrays, and cellular microarrays. Each type of microarray has a specific application and methodology.

DNA Microarrays[edit | edit source]

DNA microarrays, also known as gene chips, consist of different DNA probes that are attached to a solid surface. These probes correspond to known sequences of genes. When a sample containing DNA or RNA is applied to the microarray, the molecules bind to their corresponding probes, allowing for the detection and quantification of gene expression.

Protein Microarrays[edit | edit source]

Protein microarrays are used to study protein-protein interactions, determine protein function, and identify disease biomarkers. They consist of a variety of proteins immobilized on a solid surface.

Tissue Microarrays[edit | edit source]

Tissue microarrays are used in pathology to study the expression of proteins in different tissues. They consist of small sections of tissue samples arranged in a grid pattern on a solid support.

Cellular Microarrays[edit | edit source]

Cellular microarrays are used to study cellular behavior. They consist of cells immobilized on a solid surface.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Microarray technology has a wide range of applications in various fields such as genomics, proteomics, and clinical diagnostics. It is used in gene expression profiling, comparative genomic hybridization, and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis. In medicine, it is used for the detection of genetic diseases, pharmacogenomics, and the development of personalized medicine.

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