Quality control of expression profiling data

Abstract

Nucleic acid-based microarrays were first used for large-scale parallel analysis of gene expression about 7 years ago. Since that time, gene expression microarray techniques have continued to be developed by many investigators who have recognized the unprecedented potential of array techniques for investigating many biological systems. In such a dynamic field of inquiry, it is not surprising that many of the basic techniques are still evolving, and the utility of specific microarrayrelated methods is greatly debated. However, if there is one point that most practitioners agree upon, it is that the quality of current microarray data is not guaranteed. In such an environment, quality control (QC) of array methods and data is crucial to successful use of the technology.