DNA Microarrays

摘要

Gene expression arrays are useful tools for many researchers in oncology. They have been used to classify disease severity, predict clinical outcomes and define criteria for clinical trial eligibility. Currently, there are two competing technologies available: cDNA arrays and oligonudeotide microarrays. cDNA arrays use transcripts representing genes of interest spotted systematically on nitrocellulose filters or glass slides.2 The major benefits of this technology are that they can be made by individual investigators, are easily customizable, and do not require prior knowledge of cDNA sequences as these segments can be sequenced after the fact.2 Oligonudeotide probes, on the other hand, are deposited or synthesized directly on the surface of silicon wafers in a patterned manner. They can be tailored to minimize cross-hybridization, and the design of specific probes is virtually unlimited due to the completion of the human genome project.