Detection of gene expression in an individual cell type within a cell mixture using microarray analysis

Abstract

Background: A central issue in the design of microarray-based analysis of global gene expression is the choice between using cells of single type and a mixture of cells. This study quantified the proportion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced differentially expressed monocyte genes that could be measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and determined the extent to which gene expression in the non-monocyte cell fraction diluted or obscured fold changes that could be detected in the cell mixture. Methodology/Principal Findings: Human PBMC were stimulated with LPS, and monocytes were then isolated by positive (Mono+) or negative (Mono-) selection. The non-monocyte cell fraction (M..