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Metastasis Research Protocols pp 71–88Cite as

The Polymerase Chain Reaction

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 878))

Abstract

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has had a significant impact on all aspects of the molecular biosciences, from cancer research to forensic science. The sensitivity and specificity inherent in the technique allow minute quantities of genetic material to be detected while the unique properties of thermostable DNA polymerase ensure that abundant copies are reliably reproduced to levels that can be visualized and/or used for further applications. This chapter describes applications of PCR and PCR-RT to investigate primary cancer and metastatic disease at both the DNA and mRNA expression levels.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, Royal Free and UCL Medical School, London, UK

    Hazel M. Welch

Authors
  1. Hazel M. Welch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hazel M. Welch .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, Molecular and Applied Biosciences, University of Westminster, New Cavendish Street 115, London, W1W 6UW, United Kingdom

    Miriam Dwek

  2. School of Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, United Kingdom

    Susan A. Brooks

  3. Inst. Anatomie und Experimentelle, Morphologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg, Martinistr. 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany

    Udo Schumacher

Appendix

Appendix

Useful Web sites:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/tools/primer-blast/index.cgi?LINK_LOC=BlastHome.

www.promega.com.

www.qiagen.com.

www.sigma.com.

www.invitrogen.com.

http://www.ensembl.org/index.html.

http://sigma-genosys.com.

www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/custom-oligos.html.

https://www.roche-applied-science.com.

http://www.proteinatlas.org/index.php.

http://www.ncri-onix.org.uk/portal/#S1.

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© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Welch, H.M. (2012). The Polymerase Chain Reaction. In: Dwek, M., Brooks, S., Schumacher, U. (eds) Metastasis Research Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 878. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-854-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-854-2_5

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-853-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-854-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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