DNA-microarrays: novel techniques to study aging and guide gerontologic medicine

DNA array technology is a high throughput application of nucleic acid hybridization. Arrays currently used include spotted cDNA arrays at various densities and oligonucleotide arrays, where the highest densities can be obtained by synthesizing oligonucleotides directly on the solid support. While cDNA arrays can only determine the presence of a specific sequence in a sample, oligonucleotide arrays additionally allow detection of mutations and polymorphisms, including single nucleotide polymorphisms. Microarray technology can be expected to further our understanding of the aging process and to soon influence medical decision-making in age-related diseases, as well as lifestyle decisions of consequence to the aging process.