Gene expression analysis is a powerful technique used to study the activity of genes in a cell or tissue. By measuring the expression of specific genes, researchers can gain insights into a wide range of biological processes, including development, disease, and response to environmental stimuli.
One common approach to gene expression analysis is to use a microarray, which is a small chip that contains thousands of DNA probes. Each probe is complementary to a specific gene, and when RNA from a cell or tissue sample is applied to the array, it will bind to the complementary probes. The amount of RNA that binds to each probe can then be measured, providing a quantitative measure of gene expression.
