Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment

Polymerase Chain Reaction

In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships.

MeSH Record

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Synonyms

13 entry terms
  • PCR
  • Polymerase Chain Reactions
  • Reaction, Polymerase Chain
  • Reactions, Polymerase Chain
  • Anchored PCR
  • Anchored Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Inverse PCR
  • Inverse Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Nested PCR
  • Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • PCR, Anchored
  • PCR, Inverse
  • PCR, Nested

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Aspects Covered

10 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings classification, economics, ethics, history, instrumentation, methods, standards, statistics & numerical data, trends, veterinary.

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History Note

91(90); was see under GENE AMPLIFICATION 1990

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Previous Indexing

  • Gene Amplification (1988-1989)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. E05.393.620.500w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QU 550.5.P6

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Polymerase Chain Reaction. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D016133. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D016133
  2. Polymerase Chain Reaction. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction
  3. Polymerase Chain Reaction. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q176996