Recent advances in DNA microarrays.

The structure of the human genome is almost completely elucidated and the life sciences will now aim for a general and integrated study of gene expressions and the functional elucidation of proteins. In such a study, various new techniques have been developed, and DNA microarray technology is the most representative one. As for the DNA microarray techniques, several thousands to tens of thousands of gene segments are immobilized on a glass slide at high density, and cDNA probes prepared from specific cells or tissues are hybridized on the slides from which gene expression profiles are obtained at one sweep in a short time. The present development of this technique and its possible application to medicine-related fields are described.