[The DNA-chip, a new tool for medical genetics]

The DNA (chip) technology, emerged in the last two years, provides an incredible technical development in rapid and automatised performance of genetic identification. The principle of procedure is, that by series of photolitographic and chemical steps on solid-phase of a small surface relatively dense oligonucleotide arrays can be generated. The oligonucleotides produced by the computer-directed in-situ microfabrication may bind complementary fluorescent-labeled DNA fragments from the unknown sample. After scanning, the registered position of positive signals provide information on the identity of DNA fragments. By this novel approach not only DNA sequencing can be performed, but genetic errors of known genes, presence of infectious organisms and the typing of genetic markers (such as HLA) used for transplantation and forensic medicine can be determined. The DNA-chip technology is a revolutionary new milestone in genetic diagnose.