Numerical deconvolution of cDNA microarray signal: simulation study.

A computational model for simulation of the cDNA microarray experiments has been created. The simulation allows one to foresee the statistical properties of replicated experiments without actually performing them. We introduce a new concept, the so-called bio-weight, which allows for reconciliation between conflicting meanings of biological and statistical significance in microarray experiments. It is shown that, for a small sample size, the bio-weight is a more powerful criterion of the presence of a signal in microarray data as compared to the standard approach based on t test. Joint simulation of microarray and quantitative PCR data shows that the genes recovered by using the bio-weight have better chances to be confirmed by PCR than those obtained by the t test technique. We also employ extreme value considerations to derive plausible cutoff levels for hypothesis testing.