Microarray System

A microarray is a multiplex lab-on-a-chip. Its purpose is to simultaneously detect the expression of thousands of biological interactions. It is a two-dimensional array on a solid substrate—usually a glass slide or silicon thin-film cell—that assays (tests) large amounts of biological material using high-throughput screening miniaturized, multiplexed and parallel processing and detection methods. Microarray technology can be used for a variety of purposes in research and clinical studies, such as measuring gene expression and detecting specific DNA sequences (e.g., single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs ). Microarrays can be produced in house with specialized equipment, or purchased directly. Microarray slides or chips are spotted with arrayers, hybridized in ovens, and refined by washers and strainers.