what is rt pcr

RT-PCR stands for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. It is a molecular biology technique used to amplify and detect RNA. The process involves the conversion of RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA) using reverse transcriptase, followed by the amplification of the cDNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . RT-PCR is particularly sensitive and is commonly used for mRNA detection and quantitation, making it a valuable tool in gene expression analysis and various research fields, including nanotoxicology studies. It is also used in medical diagnostics, such as in the rapid detection of viruses like the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) . RT-PCR has become an indispensable technique due to its ability to quantify mRNA levels from small samples, including single cells, and its sensitivity in measuring changes in gene expression.