Single Cell PCR
Applications of single cell PCR
The invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has altered the way molecular biology can be studied. With PCR, it is now possible to amplify and examine minute quantities of rare genetic material: the limit of this exploration being the single cell.
Single cell PCR has applications in many areas, and has great application especially in the field of prenatal diagnostics. In prenatal diagnosis, single cell PCR has made possible preimplantation genetic analysis and the use of fetal cells enriched from the blood of pregnant women for the assessment of single-gene Mendelian disorders. Single-cell PCR has not only proven its usefulness in diagnostics, but also lately has been very useful to basic scientists investigating immunological, neurological and developmental problems.
Recent advances in molecular biology techniques such as whole genome amplification (WGA) procedures and single-cell complementary DNA arrays will permit the genetic analysis of single cells to become a more common practice, thus creating new avenues for diagnosis and research.
Single Cell PCR kits
Sigma WGA whole genome single cell PCR kit GenomePlex®
Single-Tube PCR Kit from Takara
References
For more information on single cell PCR see the following papers:
Current applications of single-cell PCR. * Hahn S, * Zhong XY, * Troeger C, * Burgemeister R, * Gloning K, * Holzgreve W. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2000 Jan 20;57(1):96-105.
Single-cell PCR analysis of TCR repertoires selected by antigen in vivo: a high magnitude CD8 response is comprised of very few clones. * Maryanski JL, * Jongeneel CV, * Bucher P, * Casanova JL, * Walker PR. Immunity. 1996 Jan;4(1):47-55.
Demonstration by single-cell PCR that Reed–Sternberg cells and bystander B lymphocytes are infected by different Epstein–Barr virus strains in Hodgkin’s disease. Nathalie Faumont1, Talal Al Saati1, Pierre Brousset1, Claudie Offer1, Georges Delsol1 and Fabienne Meggetto1. Journal of General Virology (2001), 82, 1169-1174.