1. Cell Lysis: Cancer cells are lysed to release their contents, including telomerase. 2. Telomerase Extension: The enzyme adds telomeric repeats (TTAGGG) to an oligonucleotide substrate. 3. PCR Amplification: The extended products are amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 4. Detection: The amplified DNA fragments are then visualized, typically using gel electrophoresis or other methods like fluorescence.
The intensity of the bands or signals correlates with the level of telomerase activity in the sample.
