Department of Medicine and Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Trends Cardiovasc Med. 1991 Jan-Feb;1(1):1-5. doi: 10.1016/1050-1738(91)90051-F.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a recently discovered technique of molecular biology that has revolutionized both basic science and clinical research laboratories. Its beautiful simplicity derives from its ability to geometrically amplify a single copy of a DNA sequence to millions of copies in a matter of hours. PCR thus allows both the molecular biologist to clone genes and the clinical pathologist to screen blood samples for human immunodeficiency virus, with rapidity and ease never before available. In this brief review we will discuss the basic technique of the PCR, its applications in the basic science and clinical areas, and further emphasize its current and potential roles in cardiovascular medicine.
聚合酶链反应（PCR）是分子生物学中最近发现的一项技术，它彻底改变了基础科学和临床研究实验室。它的美妙简单之处在于它能够在数小时内将单个 DNA 序列的拷贝数几何扩增到数百万个拷贝。因此，PCR 使分子生物学家能够克隆基因，临床病理学家能够快速轻松地筛选血液样本中的人类免疫缺陷病毒，这是以前从未有过的。在这篇简要的综述中，我们将讨论 PCR 的基本技术、它在基础科学和临床领域的应用，并进一步强调它在心血管医学中的当前和潜在作用。
