Molecular pathology
Molecular Pathology
Molecular Pathology (pronunciation: mo-le-cu-lar pa-tho-lo-gy) is a branch of Pathology that focuses on the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of molecules within organs, tissues, or bodily fluids.
Etymology
The term "Molecular Pathology" is derived from the Greek words "molekula" meaning 'mass' or 'body', and "pathos" meaning 'suffering'. Thus, it refers to the study of suffering at a molecular level.
Definition
Molecular Pathology encompasses several techniques including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, DNA microarray, and sequencing. These techniques are used to analyze biological markers in the genome and proteome, the individual's genetic code and how their cells express their genes as proteins, by applying molecular biology to medical testing.
Related Terms
- Genome: The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.
- Proteome: The entire set of proteins expressed by a genome, cell, tissue, or organism at a certain time.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction: A method widely used in molecular biology to rapidly make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample.
- Immunohistochemistry: The process of detecting antigens (e.g., proteins) in cells of a tissue section by exploiting the principle of antibodies binding specifically to antigens in biological tissues.
- In Situ Hybridization: A type of hybridization that uses a labeled complementary DNA, RNA or modified nucleic acids strand to localize a specific DNA or RNA sequence in a portion or section of tissue.
- DNA Microarray: A collection of microscopic DNA spots attached to a solid surface used to measure the expression levels of large numbers of genes simultaneously or to genotype multiple regions of a genome.
- Sequencing: The process of determining the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Molecular pathology
- Wikipedia's article - Molecular pathology
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