| abstract |
PCT No. PCT/EP96/02996 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 6, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 6, 1997 PCT Filed Jul. 1, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/03200 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 30, 1997The subject invention is directed to a method for determining the integrity of nucleic acid isolated from a specimen of eukaryotic origin comprising subjecting the specimen to nucleic acid isolation followed by amplification using a pair of oligonucleotide primers in a manner known per se, said primers being capable of amplifying nucleic acid specific for RNA encoding a product of a housekeeping gene, said RNA being low abundance RNA, said gene being present in all cell types of a eukaryotic species, and said method further comprising determining whether amplification of the nucleic acid specific for the RNA has occurred. In particular, the method comprises amplifying mRNA. Optionally, the method can also comprise quantifying the amplification product. As this method is of particular relevance for diagnosis of diseases in humans, the eukaryotic species is preferably a human being. |