DNA Chips

Hybridization experiments were traditionally performed using page-sized filters, with each filter having about 10 bands displaying whether hybridization occurred or not. About ten years ago the techniques became developed enough to allow miniaturized filters, which are chip sized, with each band being about 100 microns wide. Using these DNA chips, also called DNA arrays, also enables us to perform several experiments at once. There are two types of DNA chips. Both share the same basic idea, but the implementation is different in each. We will discuss these chip types in the order they were introduced.