Sometimes called "molecular photocopying," the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a fast and inexpensive technique used to "amplify" - copy - small segments of DNA.

Procedure of Amplifying DNA

There are multiple techniques for testing genetic materials, some of which lend themselves more readily to miniaturization. Initially molecular diagnostics were carried out using hybridization methods, such as fluorescence in situ hybridization. Later, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT, including Polymerase chain reaction) and Microarrays offer high throughput and more accurate tests.

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