| Definition |
an in vitro technique for rapidly synthesizing large quantities of a given DNA segment that involves separating the DNA into its two complementary strands, binding a primer to each single strand at the end of the given DNA segment where synthesis will start, using DNA polymerase to synthesize two-stranded DNA from each single strand, and repeating the process.
A technique to expand trace amounts of DNA or RNA so that the specific type of the DNA or RNA can be studied or determined. This technique has become useful in detecting a very low concentration of residual leukemia or lymphoma cells, too few to be seen using a microscope. The technique can detect the presence of one leukemic cell among five hundred thousand to one million non-leukemic cells. PCR requires a specific DNA (or RNA) abnormality or marker, like an oncogene, in the leukemic or lymphomatous cells for its use to identify residual abnormal cells.
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