Editing Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (section)

{{short description|Laboratory technique to multiply an RNA sample for study}}
{{Redirect|RT-PCR|real-time polymerase chain reaction, also called quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) or kinetic polymerase chain reaction|Real-time polymerase chain reaction}}
[[File:RT PCR Model.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|RT-PCR]]
'''Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction''' ('''RT-PCR''') is a laboratory technique combining [[reverse transcription]] of [[RNA]] into [[DNA]] (in this context called [[complementary DNA]] or cDNA) and amplification of specific DNA targets using [[polymerase chain reaction]] (PCR).<ref name="pmid9894600">{{cite journal |vauthors=Freeman WM, Walker SJ, Vrana KE|author-link3=Kent Vrana |title=Quantitative RT-PCR: pitfalls and potential |journal=[[BioTechniques]] |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=112–22, 124–5 |date=January 1999 |pmid=9894600 |doi= 10.2144/99261rv01|doi-access=free }}</ref> It is primarily used to measure the amount of a specific RNA. This is achieved by monitoring the amplification reaction using fluorescence, a technique called [[real-time polymerase chain reaction|real-time PCR]] or quantitative PCR (qPCR). Confusion can arise because some authors use the acronym RT-PCR to denote real-time PCR. In this article, RT-PCR will denote Reverse Transcription PCR. Combined RT-PCR and qPCR are routinely used for analysis of [[gene expression]] and quantification of viral RNA in research and clinical settings.

The close association between RT-PCR and qPCR has led to [[Metonymy|metonymic]] use of the term qPCR to mean RT-PCR. Such use may be confusing,<ref name="Mackay, Ian 2007 440">{{cite book |author=Mackay, Ian |title=Real-time PCR in Microbiology: From Diagnosis to Characterization |url=https://archive.org/details/realtimepcrmicro00mack |url-access=limited |publisher=Caister Academic Press |location=Norfolk, England |year=2007 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/realtimepcrmicro00mack/page/n449 440] |isbn=978-1-904455-18-9 }}</ref> as RT-PCR can be used without qPCR, for example to enable [[molecular cloning]], [[RNA-Seq|sequencing]] or simple detection of RNA. Conversely, qPCR may be used without RT-PCR, for example, to quantify the [[Copy number analysis|copy number]] of a specific piece of DNA.