Chips & Kits | Digital Arrays

12.765 Digital Array

48.770 Digital Array Click for video overview (external link)

Fluidigm® Digital Arrays

Digital PCR

Digital PCR is a powerful PCR technique that uses standard qPCR assays to deliver the following capabilities:

Selectivity – Discrimination of mutant molecules from wild type molecules.
Resolution – Easy determination of the ratio between two targets.
Accuracy – Quantitation by counting of individual target molecules.

Digital PCR Explained

Digital PCR works by partitioning each sample into hundreds of individual PCR reactions, at a sample concentration in which only a fraction of individual PCR reactions will contain a target molecule. After the sample has been partitioned, PCR is performed and—through the use of a qPCR assay—individual reactions that contained a starting molecule can be detected. By counting the number of positive partitions versus the number of negative partitions, the exact number of target molecules in the sample can be determined.

Fluidigm® Digital Arrays

A digital array is an integrated fluidic circuit (IFC) designed for digital PCR. The digital array partitions a sample premixed with PCR reagents into hundreds of individual PCR reactions. This partitioning of the mixture allows the absolute quantification of target sequences. Digital arrays transform digital PCR from a novel, yet impractical technique (if performed in microwell plates), into a straightforward, routine approach for PCR applications demanding extreme accuracy of copy number.

Applications:

Copy Number Variation
Next-Gen Sequencing DNA Library Quantitation

The following is an overview of the capabilities enabled by digital arrays:

Learn more about Fluidigm's applications for digital arrays using the BioMark and Fluidigm EP1 Systems.