title: Microgenomics: Identification of new expression profiles via small and single-cell sample analyses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the sequencing of the human genome has been finished, microgenomics has been booming, employing highly sophisticated, high-throughput platforms. But these mainly chip-based methods can only generate biologically relevant data if the samples investigated consist of homogeneous cell populations, in which no unwanted cells of different specificity and/or developmental stage obscure the results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Different sampling methods have been routinely applied to overcome the problem presented by heterogeneous samples, e.g., global surveys, cell cultures, and microdissection. Various methods of laser-assisted microdissection, employing either positive or negative selection of tissue areas or even single cells, are available.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These laser-assisted microdissection methods allow for fast and precise procurement of extremely small samples. Through subsequent application of recently developed methods of linear mRNA amplification in a pool of isolated total RNA, it has now become possible to perform complex high-throughput RNA expression profiling by microdissecting and processing even single-cell samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies using the tools and methods of microgenomics have shed light on how those new approaches will eventually aid in the development of a new generation of diagnostics, e.g., leading to new patient-specific drugs tailored to the requirements assessed by assaying only a few biopsy cells.
authors.affiliation: Arcturus Bioscience, Inc., Mountain View, California, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Prashant R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Nambiar
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderegg
mesh_terms: D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D042282:Microdissection / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger