Thermal cycler

A Modern PCR Machine

The thermal cycler (also known as a thermocycler, PCR machine or DNA amplifier) is a laboratory apparatus most commonly used to amplify segments of DNA via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).[1] Thermal cyclers may also be used in laboratories to facilitate other temperature-sensitive reactions, including restriction enzyme digestion or rapid diagnostics.[2] The device has a thermal block with holes where tubes holding the reaction mixtures can be inserted. The cycler then raises and lowers the temperature of the block in discrete, pre-programmed steps.

  1. ^ Weier, HU; Gray, JW (Jul–Aug 1988). "A programmable system to perform the polymerase chain reaction". DNA (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.). 7 (6): 441–7. PMID 3203600.
  2. ^ Higgins, James A.; Nasarabadi, Shanavaz; Karns, Jeffrey S.; Shelton, Daniel R.; Cooper, Mary; Gbakima, Aiah; Koopman, Ronald P. (1 August 2003). "A handheld real time thermal cycler for bacterial pathogen detection". Biosensors and Bioelectronics. 18 (9): 1115–1123. doi:10.1016/S0956-5663(02)00252-X.