Methylation-specific PCR.

Methylation-specific PCR is a rapid method used to determine the methylation status of DNA. Not only does methylation affect the expression of genes in normal cells, but it is now known that disease processes such as cancer can result in abnormal DNA methylation patterns. Methylation-specific PCR can be used to investigate imprinted genes, to assess human tumors for clonality by studying genes inactivated on the X chromosome, and to examine abnormally methylated CpG islands in neoplasia.