Briefly describe/define the following experimental techniques.Research the technique using Internet, textbooks, or any othermaterial. The idea is to get familiar with the set of tools used tomeasure or visualize gene expression in cells, tissues, ororganisms - we'll be talking about these techniques a lot in thiscourse.
While you are doing this, think carefully about what kind ofinformation about gene expression can andcannot be gained when using the techniques you areresearching. In your description, don't concern yourself with minorexperimental details, but focus on what you can find out with thehelp of a given technique. What kind of questions can be answeredif you apply it?
Imagine that you would like to know 1) when the gene isexpressed, 2) which cells/tissues it is expressed in, 3) at whatlevels it is expressed, and 4) also would like to have thisinformation for both kinds of typical gene products (i.e. RNAs andproteins).
- Think about what kind of a gene product can bemeasured/visualized using this particular technique. Would you getinformation about the gene expression at the RNA level or at theprotein level?
- What do you need to have (in terms of the most criticalreagents or knowledge/information) in order to use thistechnique?
- Is the technique appropriate for determining where the gene isexpressed, when it is expressed, or both?
- Will it be informative if you use it for very smallorganisms/embryos in which you cannot easily separate cells?
- Can it be used to determine subcellular localization of aprotein or RNA (for example to determine if the protein localizesto the nucleus or to the plasma membrane?).
QUESTION:
- Immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescentstaining
Briefly describe/define the following experimental techniques.Research the technique using Internet, textbooks, or any othermaterial. The idea is to get familiar with the set of tools used tomeasure or visualize gene expression in cells, tissues, ororganisms - we'll be talking about these techniques a lot in thiscourse.
While you are doing this, think carefully about what kind ofinformation about gene expression can andcannot be gained when using the techniques you areresearching. In your description, don't concern yourself with minorexperimental details, but focus on what you can find out with thehelp of a given technique. What kind of questions can be answeredif you apply it?
Imagine that you would like to know 1) when the gene isexpressed, 2) which cells/tissues it is expressed in, 3) at whatlevels it is expressed, and 4) also would like to have thisinformation for both kinds of typical gene products (i.e. RNAs andproteins).
- Think about what kind of a gene product can bemeasured/visualized using this particular technique. Would you getinformation about the gene expression at the RNA level or at theprotein level?
- What do you need to have (in terms of the most criticalreagents or knowledge/information) in order to use thistechnique?
- Is the technique appropriate for determining where the gene isexpressed, when it is expressed, or both?
- Will it be informative if you use it for very smallorganisms/embryos in which you cannot easily separate cells?
- Can it be used to determine subcellular localization of aprotein or RNA (for example to determine if the protein localizesto the nucleus or to the plasma membrane?).
QUESTION:
- Immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescentstaining
