title: Quantitation of RNA using the polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Sequential use of reverse transcriptase and the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) permits rapid and sensitive detection of specific RNAs. However, the greatest advantage of RT-PCR, its remarkable sensitivity, has also limited its usefulness in quantitative applications, since the effects of minor variations in reaction conditions from sample to sample are greatly magnified during the amplification process. Several recently developed techniques circumvent this problem, allowing accurate quantitation of RNA using RT-PCR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3500.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens; D004330:Drosophila; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: C034477:RNA primers; D012313:RNA; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase