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Difference Between qPCR and ddPCR
Basis of Differentiation | qPCR | ddPCR |
|---|---|---|
| Principle | qPCR measures PCR amplification as it happens | ddPCR measures the fraction of positive and negative duplicates to determine absolute copies |
| Sensitivity | Moderate: detection limit is from 1-10 | High: detection limit as low as 1 in 2000 |
| Methods of data collection | Targets with unknown quantity are compared to standard curve with known quantities | PCR reaction is split into thousands of separate real-time PCR reactions before amplification, and data is only obtained at the end-point |
| Quantification type (Relative or absolute) | Both, but a standard curve with known absolute quantities of the target is necessary for absolute quantification | Absolute only, ddPCR gives an absolute count of target DNA copies per input sample (no standard curve necessary) |
| Time established | Established technology | Emerging technology |
References
This online resource may be cited as follows
MLA | "Quest Database™ Difference Between qPCR and ddPCR." AAT Bioquest, Inc., 4 Apr. 2026, https://www.aatbio.com/data-sets/difference-between-qpcr-and-ddpcr. | |
APA | AAT Bioquest, Inc. (2026, April 4). Quest Database™ Difference Between qPCR and ddPCR. AAT Bioquest. https://www.aatbio.com/data-sets/difference-between-qpcr-and-ddpcr. | |
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