NanoString nCounter
Definition
A hybridisation and digital counting platform that tallies individual mRNA molecules using fluorescent barcodes, avoiding amplification bias and enabling simultaneous profiling of tens to hundreds of targets.
- Platform type
- Hybridisation and digital molecule counting
- Detection method
- Fluorescent barcodes
- Key advantage
- Avoids amplification bias
- Throughput
- Tens to hundreds of targets simultaneously
- Forensic use
- mRNA profiling for body fluid identification
Common questions
Why does avoiding amplification matter for body fluid mRNA profiling?+
PCR amplification can introduce bias where some transcripts amplify more efficiently than others, distorting the apparent relative abundance of markers used to distinguish body fluids. Direct digital counting of barcoded molecules preserves the original relative abundance more faithfully, which matters when fluid-type calls depend on relative marker ratios.
How does the nCounter platform differ from RNA sequencing for this application?+
RNA sequencing profiles the whole transcriptome and can discover unexpected markers but requires more input material, higher cost, and more complex bioinformatics, while nCounter targets a predefined panel of known body fluid markers with simpler workflow and lower degraded-sample requirements, suiting routine forensic casework better than exploratory research.
Can nCounter work on degraded forensic samples?+
It is generally considered more tolerant of RNA degradation than amplification-dependent methods because it detects short probe-binding regions rather than requiring an intact amplicon, which is one reason it has been explored for casework samples that are often partially degraded.
Related terms
- mRNA (Messenger RNA)
- Transcripts encoding proteins, synthesised in the nucleus from DNA templates and translated by ribosomes. mRNA molecules vary greatly in length (hundreds to...
- OSAC Validation
- The framework for forensic assay validation published by the US Organisation of Scientific Area Committees, requiring demonstrations of sensitivity, specificity, mixture performance,...
- RNase
- Ribonuclease enzymes that cleave RNA phosphodiester bonds. Present in blood plasma (RNase A family) and released from cells on death. The activity...
- RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription PCR)
- A two-stage process: RNA is first reverse-transcribed into complementary DNA (cDNA), then the cDNA is amplified by PCR. Quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) measures...
- Tissue-Specific Expression
- The pattern by which certain genes are transcribed at high levels in one tissue and at negligible levels in others, forming the...