Related Terms

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Background

• Rolling-circle amplification (RCA) is a method for detecting specific molecules within a cell. It can identify deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and proteins. When a specific molecule is present in only one type of cell, RCA can identify that type of cell. RCA is therefore a way to identify an infecting pathogen (germ), a mutation in a cancer cell, the reason one person responds to a certain drug while another does not, and limitless other applications.
• DNA is a molecule found within the nucleus of every cell of every living organism. It contains the blueprints for that organism's growth and function. DNA is a very long and complex chemical that contains small chemicals called nucleotides, represented by four letters in a coded sequence: adenine, A; thymine, T; guanine, G; and cytosine, C. Consequently, the code reads "AATGCGCCTTTGAGGTC" and so on. A gene is a short segment of DNA that can be assigned a function, such as designating the structure of a protein.
• Three letters designate an amino acid. Amino acids arranged linearly form a protein. Proteins are the workers in the body; they do all the construction, make up a good portion of what is built, and perform most of the operations required for the activities of life. There are roughly 30,000 proteins in a human body. Some proteins make the other nonprotein chemicals such as cortisone and adrenaline that the body needs to function. This process creates and sustains life in all its forms, and all of these chemicals can now be identified and characterized in a multi-step process that begins with RCA.

Methods

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Research

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Implications

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Limitations

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Safety

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Future Research

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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