PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
Definition
PCR is a technique used in molecular biology to amplify a single or few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies.
Analogy
Imagine you're trying to find a specific book in a library, but there's only one copy. Now imagine if you could use a magic photocopier to rapidly create millions of copies of that book. That's what PCR does with pieces of DNA!
Related terms
DNA Polymerase: This is the enzyme that synthesizes new strands of DNA and is crucial for the PCR process.
Primers: These are short pieces of RNA or DNA that serve as the starting point for DNA synthesis. They're necessary for the PCR process.
Thermocycler: This is the machine used in PCR which alternates temperature cycles to heat and cool the reaction for denaturing and annealing.
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