In this laboratory "cook-book", the authors provide a concise guide to PCR-based techniques to quantify nucleic acids in biological and clinical samples using exclusively nonradioactive detection methods, e.g. HPLC, biotin and digoxigenin based protocols. Each method presentation also includes sections on theory, reagents, standards, applicability, limitations, and trouble shooting. In addition to the protocols, the authors also provide the necessary information on: general aspects of nucleic acid quantitation, design of PCR standards, mRNA purification, cDNA synthesis, solution hybridization, DNA sequencing. This laboratory guide enables professionals as well as beginners to adopt easily quantitative PCR protocols into their own clinical or biomedical research.