The magic and challenge of DNA probes as diagnostic reagents.

Molecular basis of hybridization and effect of different conditions, such as probe size, salt concentration, temperature, detergent concentration, time of washing, sample preparation and sample purity, on hybridization is discussed. Different formats of hybridization such as in solution hybridization, solid phase hybridization, and methods for probe preparation are presented. Polymerase chain reaction for the amplification of target and alternative methods for signal amplification are introduced in this review.