Quantitative or digital PCR? A comparative analysis for choosing the optimal one for biosensing applications

This paper offers an exhaustive comparison of quantitative PCR (qPCR) and digital PCR (dPCR) technologies, focusing on their critical roles in molecular diagnostics, ranging from pathogen detection, and cancer screening to environment monitoring. The manuscript outlines the foundational theories behind both technologies and scrutinizes their capabilities, advances, and limits. It deeply investigates the primary factors based on the sample's nature, sample preparation strategies, and employing key parameters like reliability, accuracy, and specificity, thus critically evaluating the merits and demerits of each technology. It also proposes the avenues of research and development that impact both technologies. The paper concludes that the choice between qPCR and dPCR depends on factors such as the nature of the sample, the purpose of the study, and practical considerations like cost and operational ease. Our overarching goal is to furnish a guide that aids researchers in selecting the optimal PCR-based technique for their assay development.