Polymerase chain reaction
A laboratory method used to make many copies of a specific
piece of DNA from a sample that contains very tiny amounts of that DNA.
Polymerase chain reaction allows these pieces of DNA to be amplified so they
can be detected. Polymerase chain reaction may be used to look for certain
changes in a gene or chromosome, which may help find and diagnose a genetic
condition or a disease, such as cancer. It may also be used to look at pieces
of the DNA of certain bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms to help
diagnose an infection. Also called PCR1.
