PCR: Polymerase chain reaction

PCR is aDNA amplificationtechnique that solves the question that analytical tests do not have enough sensitivity to analyze the amount of DNA contained in a blood or tissue sample.

PCR takes the DNA from the sample, to synthesize new DNA molecules through the use of aheat-resistant DNA polymerase.

In a cycle the strands are separated by very high temperatures (denaturationstep), then the temperature is lowered so that the primers can bind to the single strands (stepannealing) and polymerase make new copies (extensionstep) to start a new cycle that will amplify the sample.

Each PCR cycle therefore doubles the amount of DNA in optimal conditions. After 30 cycles (PCRs usually perform 15 to 40 cycles) the original copies will increase more than a billion times.

Dr. Juan Sabater-Tobella

European Specialist in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4)Member of the Pharmacogenomics Research NetworkMember of the International Society of Pharmacogenomics and Outcomes ResearchPresidente de EUGENOMIC®

Last modified: Nov 8, 2018 @ 5:56 pm