In-situ PCR, also called slide PCR has been in use since the 1990s to conduct PCR directly on small tissue samples, tissue micro arrays (TMA), or other small cell samples, rather than extracting DNA or RNA first, and then performing PCR, rtPCR, or qPCR from the extracted material. Typical in-situ PCR protocols (e.g., Gerald J. Nuovo) call for the application of a PCR mastermix directly onto the sample (which sits on a slide) and then sample and reagent are covered with a cover slip. The slide is then thermocycled on a regular thermo cycler equipped with an in-situ adaptor or slide adaptor.

If you have been performing traditional in-situ PCR in the past, you may consider switching to AmpliGrid PCR

• No cover slip needed
• No evaporation of mastermix, or mastermix leaking from cover slip
• No variability in heat transfer between cycler’s heating block and in-situ adaptor
• Highly reproducible results from constant 1µl reaction volumes
• High multiplex: 48 samples per slide

Over the years more and more vendors have stopped selling in-situ adaptors for their thermo cyclers.  The latest vendor to discontinue their in-situ adaptor is BioRad who discontinued the in-situ adaptor for the DNA Engine PTC-200 Peltier Thermal Cycler

Consider the Advalytix AmpliSpeed to replace the use of an in-situ adaptor.  While the initial investment is more than what you used to pay for an in-situ adaptor, the AmpliSpeed gives you access to the full spectrum of single cell applications  developed by the Advalytix team on the AmpliSpeed/ AmpliGrid platform.

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