To evaluate the opportunities afforded cardiovascular medicine by the comprehensive and integrative approaches of genomics in cellular physiology. We present a meta-analysis of recently reported results obtained by means of high-throughput technologies (complementary DNA and oligonucleotide arrays, serial analysis of gene expression [SAGE]), as well as more traditional molecular biology approaches (real-time polymerase chain reaction, differential display, and others).
Newly published articles identified on PubMed and additional data provided by authors on-line (where available).
The impact of genomic analysis on cardiovascular research is already visible. New genes of cardiovascular interest have been discovered, while a number of known genes have been found to be changed in unexpected contexts. The patterns in the variation of expression of many genes correlate well with the models currently used to explain the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Much more work has yet to be done, however, for the full exploitation of the immense informative potential still dormant in the genomic technologies.