Normalization of microarray data: single-labeled and dual-labeled arrays

DNA microarray is a powerful tool for high-throughput analysis of biological systems. Various computational tools have been created to facilitate the analysis of the large volume of data produced in DNA microarray experiments. Normalization is a critical step for obtaining data that are reliable and usable for subsequent analysis such as identification of differentially expressed genes and clustering. A variety of normalization methods have been proposed over the past few years, but no methods are still perfect. Various assumptions are often taken in the process of normalization. Therefore, the knowledge of underlying assumption and principle of normalization would be helpful for the correct analysis of microarray data. We present a review of normalization techniques from single-labeled platforms such as the Affymetrix GeneChip array to dual-labeled platforms like spotted array focusing on their principles and assumptions.