In situ amplification imaging of RNA in living cells

Due to its important physiological function, especially as molecular biomarkers of diseases, RNA has been the focus of biomedicine and biochemical sensing. Signal amplification detection has been put forward because of the needs for accurate identification of RNA within low expression levels, which is significant for the early diagnosing and therapy of malignant diseases. However, conventional amplification methods for RNA analysis depend on utilization of protein enzyme, fixation of cells and even operation of thermal cycle, which confine their performances in cell lysate or dead cells, thus imaging of RNAs in living cells remains to be explored. In recent years, the advance of isothermal amplification with nucleic acids opens up paths for meeting this need in living cells. This minireview tracks the development of in situ amplification assay of RNAs in living cells, and highlights the potential challenges regarding this field, aiming to improve the development of in vivo isothermal amplification as well as usher in new frontiers in this fertile research area.

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