Zahra Hasan.
Real time PCR for rapid quantitation of genes and its applications.
Infect Dis J Jan ;12(4):115-8.

The utility of PCR has revolutionized the scope of basic science research for the detection, screening and subsequently, of applied molecular diagnostics for rapid identification of pathogens as it gave a further boost to diagnosis, detection and analysis of gene products too low to be detected by traditional serology and culture methods. Recently, there has been a further and rapid improvement in PCR based technologies with the development of the Real-time PCR method. This overcomes the primary concerns of the classical PCR method by providing an even more sensitive method that is both rapid and allows quantitation of the target at the same time as the amplification step. In addition, handling is reduced with a closed system in which amplification and analysis takes place concurrently. The new fluorescence based detection systems without any need to run agarose gels for PCR products analysis as these can be monitored using the associated fluorescence detector linked computer programs. The instruments are called Real-time are they measure `realtime` or `kinetic` analysis of the PCR products or `amplicons` as they are assessed after each PCR cycle. This provides the added advantage of analysis in `real time` as opposed to `endpoint` analysis in which the `linear` phase of the amplification cycles may be missed, depending on the PCR cycling conditions.

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