MICROARRAY Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is microarray technology?
A developing technology used to study the expression of many genes at once.
What does a microarray consist of?
A solid surface where biological molecules are arranged in a particular pattern.
What is a gene chip?
A glass slide where thousands of gene sequences are placed in known locations.
What is the primary goal of microarray technology in molecular medicine?
Discovery of highly-reliable biomarkers.
Name two techniques used in microarray technology.
- Protein Array Application
- Allergen array
What are the most widely known platforms for microarrays?
- Affymetrix GeneChips
- Illumina high-density bead arrays
What is the importance of sample preparation in microarray analysis?
It must have a minimum of 8.0 RIN for quality.
What factors can reduce RNA yield?
- Tissue contamination
- RNA degradation
- Amplification efficiency
True or False: Microarray technology is a sensitive method that might give false positives or negatives.
True
What is the purpose of fluorescent signals in microarrays?
Interpretation of results for Case vs Control Analysis.
What are the different spot identification methods in microarray analysis?
- Fixed circles
- Circles with variable size
- Arbitrary spot shape
What does quality control in microarray data involve?
- Noise and reliable signal
- Visual inspection for defects
What is Principal Component Analysis (PCA) used for in microarray data presentation?
To show how normal samples were clustered together and separated from the disease group.
What does a Venn diagram represent in microarray analysis?
Significant differentially expressed genes detected in both GeneSpring and FlexArray data.
Fill in the blank: The _______ plot shows statistical significance versus magnitude of change.
Volcano
What does a heatmap display in microarray data?
The intensity of gene expression for each gene.
What is the purpose of Lowess normalization in microarray analysis?
To adjust the log signals for better comparison across arrays.
What strategy involves bringing all ‘centers’ of the array data to the same level?
Median centering
What does the term ‘up-regulated’ refer to in microarray analysis?
Genes that show increased expression in a particular condition.
What is the significance of identifying genes in COVID-19 patients using microarray analysis?
To distinguish between severe and asymptomatic cases.
What are some common problems encountered in microarray quality control?
- Array fabrication defects
- Poor hybridization conditions
- Faulty scanner
What is Gene Expression Omnibus?
A repository of array- and sequence-based expression data.
