Q-PCR

Quantitative PCR (Q-PCR or qPCR) is a PCR technique used to quantify starting amounts of DNA template. Amounts can be measured either at the end of the PCR (end-point assay) or during the PCR steps (real-time PCR). Today real-time PCR is more commonly used because it can be more precise.

Frequently, quantitative PCR is used to measure RNA instead of DNA levels. To do this, isolated RNA is reverse transcribed into cDNA. Then quantitative PCR is run on the cDNA sample. This sub-technique is called quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) or even longer names.

See also

• Real-time PCR and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR
• PCR and PCR techniques
• An excellent, detailed Q-PCR tutorial by Margaret and Richard Hunt, University of South Carolina
• Wikipedia entry on Q-PCR
• The venerable qpcrlistserv. Anyone doing qPCR should be subscribed to this list.