Polymerase chain reaction

Polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifies DNA, yield ing millions of copies from a single copy of a selected target. Amplification of RNA is also possible, using the technique of reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). It is worth noting that r eal-time PCR (RTPCR) is a di ff erent method, typically used for quantification, with a very similar abbreviation. PCR is fast and safe and can be performed on homogenised fresh or formalin-fixed tissue. PCR-based methods have numer ous applications in oncology (see Detection of clinically relevant abnormalities in genes ), including mutational analysis ( Figure 11.29 ), testing for clonality , detection of fusion transcripts resulting from cytogenetic c hanges, detection of amplifications, demonstration of MSI and detection of gene hypermethylation. PCR-based methods can also detect microorganisms in tissue but this is not a common application because of the risk of false positives. Polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifies DNA, yield ing millions of copies from a single copy of a selected target. Amplification of RNA is also possible, using the technique of reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). It is worth noting that r eal-time PCR (RTPCR) is a di ff erent method, typically used for quantification, with a very similar abbreviation. PCR is fast and safe and can be performed on homogenised fresh or formalin-fixed tissue. PCR-based methods have numer ous applications in oncology (see Detection of clinically relevant abnormalities in genes ), including mutational analysis ( Figure 11.29 ), testing for clonality , detection of fusion transcripts resulting from cytogenetic c hanges, detection of amplifications, demonstration of MSI and detection of gene hypermethylation. PCR-based methods can also detect microorganisms in tissue but this is not a common application because of the risk of false positives. Polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifies DNA, yield ing millions of copies from a single copy of a selected target. Amplification of RNA is also possible, using the technique of reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). It is worth noting that r eal-time PCR (RTPCR) is a di ff erent method, typically used for quantification, with a very similar abbreviation. PCR is fast and safe and can be performed on homogenised fresh or formalin-fixed tissue. PCR-based methods have numer ous applications in oncology (see Detection of clinically relevant abnormalities in genes ), including mutational analysis ( Figure 11.29 ), testing for clonality , detection of fusion transcripts resulting from cytogenetic c hanges, detection of amplifications, demonstration of MSI and detection of gene hypermethylation. PCR-based methods can also detect microorganisms in tissue but this is not a common application because of the risk of false positives.