Definitions for "DNA MICROARRAY"
DNA microarrays, or DNA chips are fabricated, typically on glass slides, using high-speed robotics and provide massively parallel gene expression and gene discovery information on thousands of genes simultaneously.
This kind of microarray consists of a set of regular arranged spots of DNA recognition elements (e.g. oligos) positioned on a rigid support. The diameters of the spots range between 20 and 200 micrometers. Usually 50 to 80,000 spots cover an area of approximately 1 square centimetre. The technology is based on the selective recognition of gene sequences by hybridisation, namely the base-pairing of the 4 nucleotides. Upon hybridisation with e.g. a fluorescently-labelled sample (oligo, cDNA, mRNA, PCR product) the signals can be analysed. See also: DNA, DNA array, DNA chip
A glass chip or nylon filter with a densely packed array of defined DNA sequences, typically thousands of different ones, for hybridization experiments to test for expression levels of the corresponding mRNAs.