title: Direct in situ rt-PCR.
abstract: In situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a histological technique that exploits the advantages of PCR for detection of mRNA directly in tissue sections. It somehow conjugates together PCR and in situ hybridization that is more traditionally employed for mRNA localization in cell organelles, intact cells, or tissue sections. This chapter describes the application of in situ PCR for neuropeptide mRNA localization. We provide here a detailed protocol for direct in situ reverse transcription (RT) PCR (RT-PCR) with nonradioactive probes after fixation and paraffin embedding or cryosectioning. Digoxigenin-labeled nucleotides (digoxigenin-11-dUTP) are incorporated in the PCR product after RT and subsequently detected with an anti-digoxigenin antibody conjugated with alkaline phosphatase. The procedure can be modified for use with fluorescent probes and employed in combination with enzyme/fluorescence immunocytochemical labeling.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Torino, Grugliasco, TO, Italy. lossi.laura@unito.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lossi
authors.forename: Graziana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambino
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salio
authors.forename: Adalberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merighi
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000235:genetics; D004076:Digoxigenin / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D004076:Digoxigenin