Microarray Technology

Microarray technology enables simultaneous measurement of thousands of biological targets — genes, proteins, miRNAs, or genomic regions — from a single sample in a single experiment. Researchers and clinicians use this technology to profile gene expression patterns, detect genomic copy number variations, identify single nucleotide polymorphisms, and measure protein interactions across the entire relevant biological space rather than testing one target at a time.

The core principle places thousands of short probe sequences — oligonucleotides, cDNA clones, or antibodies — at defined positions on a glass, silicon, or polymer substrate surface in a high-density grid format. Each probe binds specifically to its complementary target sequence in the labeled sample. After hybridization, a scanner measures fluorescence intensity at each probe position — producing a signal proportional to the abundance of each target in the sample. Furthermore, two-color competitive hybridization compares two samples simultaneously on one array — a test sample labeled with Cy5 and a reference sample labeled with Cy3 — generating ratio data that identifies relative differences in target abundance between conditions directly from a single scan.

DNA microarrays cover whole-genome expression profiling using Affymetrix GeneChip arrays with up to 6.5 million probe features per array or Agilent 60-mer oligonucleotide arrays at 60,000 to 244,000 features. CGH arrays map genomic copy number alterations across all chromosomes simultaneously — identifying deletions and amplifications in cancer genomes and constitutional chromosomal disorders in clinical cytogenetics. Additionally, SNP arrays genotype hundreds of thousands of polymorphic positions simultaneously — powering genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that link genetic variants to disease risk and drug response phenotypes.

Protein microarrays extend the same spatial multiplexing principle to antibody-antigen interactions — measuring hundreds of cytokines, phosphoproteins, and biomarkers simultaneously from serum, plasma, or cell lysate samples at volumes as low as 50 µL per array.

These technologies serve Pakistan’s university molecular biology and genetics research departments in Lahore and Karachi, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital oncogenomics programs, pharmaceutical clinical research organizations running biomarker panels, hospital clinical cytogenetics laboratories, and public health research programs investigating genetic disease prevalence across Pakistan’s population.

Tactical Supply Pakistan supplies microarray technology platforms for gene expression profiling, genomic copy number analysis, SNP genotyping, and protein biomarker research procurement across Pakistan.