Exploring the Microarray Data Set

This procedure uses data from a study about gene expression in mouse brains as an example. See Overview of the Mouse Example.

  1. Read data from a file into a MATLAB structure. For example, in the MATLAB Command Window, type

    pd = gprread('mouse_a1pd.gpr')
    

    MATLAB displays information about the structure:

    pd = 
             Header: [1x1 struct]
               Data: [9504x38 double]
             Blocks: [9504x1 double]
            Columns: [9504x1 double]
               Rows: [9504x1 double]
              Names: {9504x1 cell}
                IDs: {9504x1 cell}
        ColumnNames: {38x1 cell}
            Indices: [132x72 double]
              Shape: [1x1 struct]
    
  2. Access the fields of a structure using StructureName.FieldName. For example, you can access the field ColumnNames of the structure pd by typing

    pd.ColumnNames
    

    The column names are shown below.

    ans = 
        'X'
        'Y'
        'Dia.'
        'F635 Median'
        'F635 Mean'
        'F635 SD'
        'B635 Median'
        'B635 Mean'
        'B635 SD'
        '% > B635+1SD'
        '% > B635+2SD'
        'F635 % Sat.'
        'F532 Median'
        'F532 Mean'
        'F532 SD'
        'B532 Median'
        'B532 Mean'
        'B532 SD'
        '% > B532+1SD'
        '% > B532+2SD'
        'F532 % Sat.'
        'Ratio of Medians'
        'Ratio of Means'
        'Median of Ratios'
        'Mean of Ratios'
        'Ratios SD'
        'Rgn Ratio'
        'Rgn R²'
        'F Pixels'
        'B Pixels'
        'Sum of Medians'
        'Sum of Means'
        'Log Ratio'
        'F635 Median - B635'
        'F532 Median - B532'
        'F635 Mean - B635'
        'F532 Mean - B532'
        'Flags'
    
  3. Access the names of the genes. For example, to list the first 20 gene names, type

    pd.Names(1:20)
    

    A list of the first 20 gene names is displayed:

    ans = 
        'AA467053'
        'AA388323'
        'AA387625'
        'AA474342'
        'Myo1b'
        'AA473123'
        'AA387579'
        'AA387314'
        'AA467571'
                ''
        'Spop'
        'AA547022'
        'AI508784'
        'AA413555'
        'AA414733'
                ''
        'Snta1'
        'AI414419'
        'W14393'
        'W10596'
    


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