What is RT-PCR? (Real-Time PCR & Reverse Transcription PCR)

RT-PCR can mean either Real-Time PCR or Reverse Transcription PCR. In this video, I explain how both techniques work, and what kinds of questions can be answered with each technique. This video is an introduction to the conceptual basis of both RT-PCR techniques, it is not a practical how-to.

0:00 Introduction & You need to know how PCR works
0:25 Disambiguating RT-PCR: Reverse Transcription & Real-Time PCR
0:58 What is Reverse Transcription PCR?
2:20 What is Real-Time PCR?
5:18 Results from COVID-19 study that used RT-qPCR

The paper I discuss in this video is open access and you can find it here: S. Deinhardt-Emmer, et al., Early postmortem mapping of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in patients with COVID-19 and the correlation with tissue damage. eLife 10, e60361 (2021). https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.60361

Script review by Sheeva Azma (Twitter @SheevaAzma)

Photo of Terri Sewell getting COVID-19 test by the United States Congress, Office of Terri Sewell – Public Domain

Video of using Real-Time PCR machine and pipetting into 384-well plate by Allie McClure and Berta Canal, used with permission.

This video is copyright Jayme Dyer, published under the Creative Commons CC-BY SA 4.0 license.

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