¿Qué son los Microarrays? Aplicación al diagnóstico de anomalías congénitas.

Abstract

Arrays are made up of small fragments of DNA from known locations within each chromosome, and labelled probes that bind covalently to a silica or glass surface in a specifi c position (hence the name in silico). Both the sequence and genomic position of each probe are recorded in a database associated with a computer analysis program. These sensors detect changes in gene sequence, particularly in the number of copies, but also in the methylation status or heterozygosity. There are many different types of arrays available and it is possible to differentiate between them in terms of density, distance and the number of probes that they contain, as well as their distribution throughout the genome. In this paper we review the different types of arrays and the current situation in diagnosing patients with birth defects.