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The NanoString nCounter technology

NanoString provides a technology for a wide variety of basic, translational research and for in vitro diagnostics.

The platform enables the detection of nucleic acids (e.g. micro, long non-coding and messenger RNA (miRNA, lncRNA and mRNA) as well as DNA).

The technology uses a novel digital molecular barcode for the simultaneous detection of up to 800 different target molecules (nucleic acids). For each target molecule a capture probe and a reporter probe (containing the barcode) are designed. Each probe binds to approximately 50 nucleotides (nt) of the target sequence. The small binding region of the reporter and capture probe makes this technology the perfect tool for the analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.

The technology is reported to detect a single target sequence per cell making it a highly sensitive method comparable to quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In addition to single cell(s) analysis crude cell lysates and whole-blood samples can be analysed directly.

NanoString offers products for detection of nucleic acids from humans, mice, rat and flies.