Signal calculation in protein microarrays for prostate cancer

Abstract

The thesis concerns investigations on signal calculations in a protein microarray for prostate cancer. A protein microarray is a 2D array on a glass plate or a microtiter plate ordered in rows and columns. On this solid substrate thousands of microscopic droplets (200 pl) of protein samples are attached at fixed location. Each agent captures its target antigen from a complex mixture (serum) and the captured analytes are subsequently detected and quantified. The analytes in the sample are used to produce signals at each capture spots that correspond to relative amount of analyte bound to the antibody. The antibodies or their conjugates are labeled with fluorophores which generate a fluorescent signal. The microarray experiments are basically threefold involving the preparation of the samples of interest, the array construction and sample analysis, and the data handling and interpretation (image analysis).