Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction

The Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nPCR) is an advanced technique for amplifying a specific region of DNA, which is used for a wide variety of applications. It is a two-stage process that involves two rounds of PCR amplification. The first round uses primers that target the outermost regions of the target DNA sequence. The second round uses a “nested” set of primers that target the innermost regions of the target sequence. The result of this technique is a highly specific amplification of the target region and an increased sensitivity over standard PCR methods. It is used extensively in research, clinical and forensic settings, and is especially valuable for the detection of low levels of target DNA.