Radioactive 33-P probes in hybridization to glass cDNA microarrays using neural tissues

cDNA microarrays are becoming widespread tools in the study of complex gene expression patterns with applications using cells lines, animal model systems, and human disease. Glass cDNA microarrays using fluorescent labeled cDNA probes require a large amount of input RNA usually not available in many neuroscience applications. Here we demonstrate a technique for the use of 33-P labeled cDNA probes in hybridizations to the same glass cDNA arrays used for fluorescent applications. This approach allows the use of low quantities of RNA, common phosphoimaging scanners, data acquisition software, and standard DNA and RNA labeling protocols, while being consistent and interchangeable with glass-based cDNA array technology.