What are the requirements of DNA microarray?

The requirements of DNA microarray include: DNA chip, probes, scanner, fluorescent dyes, and fluorescent labeled target/sample. Microarrays are also referred to as gene chips or DNA chips. They are designed to contain a very high quantity of oligonucleotides on a single chip, allowing for the collection of a large data set in a single experiment. Probes are typically bound in set positions to a solid surface, to which sample DNA fragments can be hybridized. The probes are typically oligonucleotides that are ink-jet printed onto slides (Agilent) or synthesized in situ (Affymetrix). Microarray scanners are instruments used to measure the fluorescent regions of a DNA microarray to display information about the simultaneous activity of thousands of genes. This data can help determine whether overexpression of a specific gene is involved in causing a disease. Fluorescent dyes are used to visualize DNA fragments, and frequently used dyes in DNA microarray include Cy3 and Cy5. These dyes exhibit high fluorescence quantum yields, and have minimal spectral overlap, making them ideal for multiplex detection applications.