[Polymerase chain reaction and its application].

Abstract

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of the most important new methods in molecular biology. It is widely used in genetic and anthropologic basic research, in oncology and virology, in all those fields, where molecular biologic methods can give answers to the questions raised. The procedure enables one to multiply with extreme precision targeted pieces of amounts as little as one target molecule of DNA or RNA by five to six logs, making them easy to be handled and examined by routine molecular biological methods. The method is presented through one possible application field, that is of great importance in the study of hepatocarcinogenesis. Sensitivity of PCR in detection of hepatitis B virus DNA is greater by four logs than animal inoculation, the last most sensitive method known.