 Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

RT-PCR combines reverse transcription with PCR amplification. The RT names the RNA-to-DNA step, not real-time observation. RT-PCR can have an endpoint readout. A matched preparation omitting reverse transcriptase tests whether contaminating DNA could account for amplification; it answers a different question from a no-template reaction.^[ref]

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a laboratory technique used to amplify and detect RNA. It involves two main steps: reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 1. **Reverse Transcription**: In this first step, the enzyme reverse transcriptase is used to convert RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA). This is crucial because standard PCR requires DNA as a template, while many studies target RNA (such as mRNA, viral RNA, etc.).