DNA microarrays

Abstract

DNA microarrays are increasingly used in biomedical research, and are set to revolutionise the investigation of disease processes. A DNA microarray is a solid support onto which thousands of DNA probes are arranged. These permit the relative expression levels of thousands of species of RNA from different tissues, whether healthy versus diseased, or activated versus inactivated to be compared simultaneously. This article discusses the different types of arrays currently available, their advantages and disadvantages, and some of the problems of data analysis which this form of technology presents. Applications of DNA microarrays and protein arrays are also described.