Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a a highly sensitive technique for the detection and quantitation of mRNA (messenger RNA). The technique consists of two parts:

 

  1. 1. The synthesis of cDNA (complementary DNA) from RNA by reverse transcription (RT) and
  2. 2. The amplification of a specific cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RT-PCR has been used to measure viral load with HIV and may also be used with other RNA viruses such as measles and mumps.

Related Articles

Polymerase Chain Reaction at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
Polymerase Chain Reaction: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) refers to a technique in molecular genetics . . . Read More
DeltaFosB at psychology-glossary.com■■■
DeltaFosB refers to a transcription factor , factor that makes DNA, that has been shown to accumulate . . . Read More
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) at psychology-glossary.com■■■
- Ribonucleic acid (RNA) : Ribonucleic acid (RNA) refers to a single-stranded nucleic acid that plays . . . Read More
Halstead-Reitan battery at psychology-glossary.com■■■
Halstead-Reitan battery refers to the most widely used Neuropsychological test battery. The Halstead-Reitan . . . Read More
MMPI-2 at psychology-glossary.com■■■
MMPI-2 is defined as a measure of Psychopathology that was developed using the empirical criterion keying . . . Read More
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) at psychology-glossary.com■■■
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) refers to an imaging technique that measures the magnetic fields generated . . . Read More
RT-PCR at psychology-glossary.com■■■
RT-PCR --- Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction; - . . . Read More
Calcium imaging at psychology-glossary.com■■■
Calcium imaging refers to a method of measuring receptor activity by using fluorescence to measure the . . . Read More
PCR at psychology-glossary.com■■
PCR is the acronym of Polymerase Chain Reaction . . . Read More
HIV RNA testing at psychology-glossary.com■■
. . . Read More