Studying gene expression profiles in specialized brain regions by microSAGE

Abstract The human genome is thought to contain 100 000 genes of which a subset of approximately 15 000 to 20 000 genes is expressed in an individual cell. The set of genes expressed and the stoichiometry of the resulting messenger RNAs, together called a transcriptome, determine the phenotype of a cell, tissue, and whole organism. It is generally accepted that a transcriptome is largely determined by an interplay of hereditary and environmental factors. For example, in the CNS, a challenge from the environment, e.g. a learning or a traumatic experience may lead to an alteration of the transcriptome of target neurons. Thus, transcriptome analysis and subsequent transcriptome comparisons may reveal novel insights in the molecular mechanisms underlying complex processes such learning and memory formation.