What is gene expression?

gene expression is the process of how the gene works in a cell. Scientists study the gene expression to focus on the relationships between small individual differences in DNA and various reactions to drugs or risk to disease. Gene expression was the main focus of pharmaceutical research. Obesity and the risk of heart disease are two examples of topics where research is an important focus.

Each cell contains DNA and genes in its core. Genes are specific instructions for cells that make each person and organism unique. Cells contain many genes and not all are active. In any given cell, some genes will be "on" or "off". When the gene is "on", it produces proteins or RNA products and in some way affects the functioning of the body. If the gene is "turned on", scientists believe it is expressed.

The "ON" state and "off" of all cell genes is called its profile of the gene expression. Each cell has a unique profile of gene express. Research methods called profiling of gene expression can find out which genesIn a sample of cells or tissue they are "on" or "off". Then profiling of expression is used to tell scientists who play genes in the studied state.

For example, scientists can use gene expression to study obesity. Scientists are working to see if they can find out the patterns of small genetic differences between people who are obese and those who have normal weight control environmental factors such as diet and exercises. If they can find out these patterns, this could lead to drugs that help control obesity.

could do this by designing a study that compares gene expression for groups of individuals who are obese and normal weight, but have similar heights, exercise habits and food. Comparison of gene expression between these two groups can identify which genes are involved in obesity. As these genes are identified, scientists canAT The development of diagnostic tests for genetic predispositions and drugs to treat or prevent obesity. These drugs could work either inhibiting genes that are involved in obesity from work, or by interaction with DNA in cells and tissues, to "turn on" or "off".