THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN HISTOPATHOLOGY

Thanks to the advent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular genetic study of histological samples is now a relatively straightforw ard task and the vast histopathology archives are now open to molecula r analysis. In this review we outline technical aspects of PCR analysi s of histological material and evaluate its application to the diagnos is and study of genetic, infectious and neoplastic disease. In additio n, we describe a number of newly developed methods for the correlation of PCR analysis with histology, which will aid the understanding of t he molecular basis of pathological processes.