Digital PCR is an emerging analysis technology for absolute quantification after realtime-PCR. Through digital PCR, single DNA molecules are distributed into isolated reactions, and the product with fluorescence signal can be detected and analyzed after amplification. With the advantages of higher sensitivity and accuracy, digital PCR, independent of a standard curve, is developing rapidly and applied widely to the next generation sequencing and detection fields, such as gene mutation, copy number variation, microorganism, and genetically modified food. In this article, we reviewed the quantitative method and research progress of digital PCR technology in the main application fields.
数字PCR 是继实时定量PCR 之后新兴发展起来的一种绝对定量分析技术。通过将单个DNA 分子转移入独立的反应室，PCR 扩增反应后，对荧光信号进行检测分析，实现单分子的绝对定量。数字PCR 技术摆脱了对标准曲线的依赖，具有更高灵敏度和准确度，在基因突变检测、拷贝数变异检测、微生物检测、转基因食品检测以及下一代测序等方面均得到广泛应用。本文介绍数字PCR 技术的定量方法，并评述该技术在主要应用领域的研究进展。.
Keywords: absolute quantification; copy number variation detection; digital PCR; genetically modified food detection; microbial detection; mutation detection; poisson distribution.