ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the principles of DNA microarray experiments. It outlines how such global methods of measuring transcription that can help understand complex biological systems and illustrates technical aspects of performing two-color DNA microarrays. The chapter also illustrates the methods of DNA microarray data capture and pre-processing. This includes the entire process from image scanning to a normalized gene expression data matrix. The chapter also outlines current standards and types of DNA microarray data management. It describes the principles of the Minimum Information about a Microarray Experiment (MIAME). The central dogma of information flow in the cell identifies potential cellular components that can be measured. The core assumption of transcriptome studies is that a cellular phenotype is linked to the types and expression levels of transcribed genes. Traditionally Northern blots have been used to determine the level of a particular transcript in a given cell type or tissue.
