Genetics

A lab technique in genetics is insitu-hybridization. Insitu-hybridization is used to locate a specific gene in an organism. This technique uses a label to find an mRNA sequence because the mRNA does not leave the cell. The DNA is the same in every cell in the body, so highlighting the DNA would not tell you which cells express a certain gene. The proteins created by the mRNA sequence leave the cells, so this would not acurately tell you which cells are responsible for expressing that gene. Scientists use this method to locate tissues that produce a certain gene, this can be used for different medicines in research. There are other methods that can locate gene expresion, such as using immune cells with radioactive labels. This method does not target the exact cell that the gene is produced in, because the immune cells link onto the protein produced. Both are very useful methods of locating genes and gene expression of protiens.