Figure 1. Multiplex qPCR in 22RV1 cells can detect RNA down to below a single cell.
22RV1 cell number is plotted against qPCR Cq (n = 47 for each gene). Four genes, SYP, CHGA, AR-V7, and AR-V9, were selected for their variable expression in CTCs from patients with metastatic prostate cancer. qPCR is able to reliably detect RNA as low as an equivalent of 0.4 cells; above this, the relationship between Cq and input amount appears to be linear.