ABSTRACT
The manner in which we approach the study of cell biology has changed dramatically over the past decade. We can speak of a paradigm shift-one in which the biologist has been greatly enabled by a rather simple tool, the microarray. The microarray in its most elementary form is a collection of small spots of biological capture agents (DNA, antibody, carbohydrate, etc.) organized on a planar substrate such as a glass microscope slide. This tool allows us to move beyond our rather myopic views of the cell in favor of a more global assessment of the cellular process. Moreover, the microarray provides us with digital information that we can assemble and use to quantify biological events and relationships on a scale that was unimaginable a few decades ago. Finally, the microarray is a parallel processor that provides the researcher with a rapid response to a biological query. In fact, so much data can be obtained in such a short time that it can be overwhelming and often require the aid of sophisticated bioinformatics analysis software. Thus, the microarray has become a formidable instrument by which to quantify biology The purpose of this book is to assess the progress on the utility of microarray technology to solve important biological problems.
