Diagnosis of MCSC: what is PCR?
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was invented in 1983 by scientist Cary Mullis. His discovery gave a rapid impetus to the development of molecular genetic diagnostics.
Today, it is impossible to do without this method in medicine. It is used to determine pathologies of viral, bacterial, fungal nature, as well as those caused by helminths or protozoa.
The essence of PCR is to purposefully increase the amount of the nucleic acid site of interest (DNA or RNA) for the possibility of further study.
Advantages of PCR
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Versatility |
The method allows you to detect any DNA and RNA, even in cases where it is impossible to do this by other methods. For this reason, it is widely used in various fields: criminology, veterinary medicine, genetics, molecular biology, virology, etc. |
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High specificity of the method |
It is caused by the fact that only the unique fragment of the nucleic acid sequence of interest, which is characteristic only for this gene (pathogen), is determined in the studied material. |
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Sensitivity |
The ability to conduct not only qualitative (presence), but also quantitative (concentration) assessment of the content of nucleic acids. |
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Speed of getting the result |
High technology and automation of the method allow you to get the results of the study by the doctor and the patient on the day of the analysis. |
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Small volume of the studied material |
This is extremely important in neonatology, forensic medicine, clinical genetics, etc. |
The main tasks that the PCR method solves:
- Determines the presence or absence of an abnormal gene.
- According to its results, specialists have the opportunity to make a choice in favor of the correct treatment.
- Evaluates the quality of therapy by monitoring the presence or absence of the pathogen.
PCR is the basis for a variety of molecular genetic diagnostic methods for:
- DNA tests that have become fast and everyday;
- study of new structures of DNA and RNA (new generation sequencing).
