Technology Insight: Microarrays - Research and clinical applications

For microarrays, the transition from research to clinical and diagnostic applications is well underway. Microarrays use a range of specific probes that are immobilized in known locations on a support matrix; this technique can measure levels of specific DNA, RNA and proteins, as well as carbohydrates and lipids. It is anticipated that analysis of these levels will lead to identification of biomarkers for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of a wide range of diseases. So far, this type of analysis has been particularly useful in clinical oncology, but the technology is being actively and successfully explored for diseases such as diabetes, endocrine tumors and endocrine modulators of tumors. There are now many commercial sources of microarrays, which have robust quality-control procedures in place. Progress will be enhanced when biomarkers can be established, statistical approaches can be refined and when we better understand the interactions of genes and of particular gene loci in disease progression.