Real-time PCR

This is a method for the detection and quantitation of an amplified PCR product based on incorporation of a fluorescent reporter dye; the fluorescent signal increases in direct proportion to the amount of PCR product produced and is monitored at each cycle, 'in real time', such that the time point at which the first significant increase in the amount of PCR product correlates with the initial amount of target template. Real-time PCR can be used for both qualitative and quantitative analysis.