ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Serial analysis of gene expression

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) is a fancy way of studying how our genes work.

Think of SAGE like putting all the genes in our body into a big bag. The scientists take a small sample of the genes from the bag and compare them to other samples.

To help them study the genes, they create a special code that represents each gene. This code is like a secret password that only they can understand. They use this code to count how many times each gene shows up in the sample.

Then, they compare the codes from the different samples. By looking at the codes and how many times each gene showed up, they can figure out how different they are from each other. They find out which genes are more active in one sample than another.

It's like trying to figure out which toys you like to play with the most. You might have a bunch of toys, but you can only carry a few at a time. You pick different toys on different days, and sometimes you play with the same toy over and over again. By comparing the toys you picked on different days, you can see which toys are your favorites.

Scientists use SAGE to understand how genes work in different parts of the body, or in different types of cells. They can also use it to study how genes are affected by diseases or treatments. By understanding how our genes work, scientists can find new ways to help us stay healthy.