title: Housekeeping genes as internal standards: use and limits.
abstract: Quantitative studies are commonly realised in the biomedical research to compare RNA expression in different experimental or clinical conditions. These quantifications are performed through their comparison to the expression of the housekeeping gene transcripts like glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), albumin, actins, tubulins, cyclophilin, hypoxantine phsophoribosyltransferase (HRPT), L32. 28S, and 18S rRNAs are also used as internal standards. In this paper, it is recalled that the commonly used internal standards can quantitatively vary in response to various factors. Possible variations are illustrated using three experimental examples. Preferred types of internal standards are then proposed for each of these samples and thereafter the general procedure concerning the choice of an internal standard and the way to manage its uses are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Histology, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thellin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lakaye
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Borman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coumans
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hennen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grisar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Igout
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heinen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000592:standards; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics*; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics*; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C041806:ribosomal protein L32; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases