Detecting Gene Expression in Specific Cell Types Using Microarray Analysis
Author Information
Author(s): Bryant Penelope A., Smyth Gordon K., Robins-Browne Roy, Curtis Nigel
Primary Institution: Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Hypothesis
How does the presence of non-monocyte cells affect the detection of gene expression changes in monocytes within a cell mixture?
Conclusion
Non-responding cells in a mixture dilute or obscure the detection of subtle changes in gene expression in monocytes, but highly differentially expressed genes can still be detected.
Supporting Evidence
- About half of the significant changes in gene expression in monocytes were not detected in PBMC.
- 97% of genes with a four-fold or greater change in expression in monocytes were detected in PBMC.
- The study showed a positive correlation in gene expression between PBMC and isolated monocytes.
Takeaway
When looking at how genes work in blood cells, mixing different types of cells can make it hard to see what’s happening in the specific cells we care about, but we can still find the most important changes.
Methodology
Human PBMC were stimulated with LPS, and monocytes were isolated by positive or negative selection, followed by microarray analysis.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from the methods of isolating monocytes and the small sample size.
Limitations
The study only included two individuals, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Two healthy adult volunteers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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