Accuri Cytometers

Apoptosis Kits

Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is a key process in development and normal tissue homeostasis. Several methods are available to detect apoptosis at its various stages. These include:

BD Biosciences offers well-established, cost-effective apoptosis kits ideally suited for use on the BD Accuri C6. For additional information on apoptosis, go to BD Biosciences.

First Characteristics of the Apoptotic Process

Changes in the plasma membrane are one of the first characteristics of the apoptotic process detected in living cells. Apoptosis can be detected by the presence of phosphatidylserine (PS), which is normally located on the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane. During apoptosis PS translocates to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane and can be detected by flow cytometry through binding to fluorochrome-labeled Annexin V when calcium is present.

BD Biosciences offers Annexin V kits in several common formats. Since intracellular Annexin V is also exposed if the plasma membrane is compromised, a membrane-impermeant dye, such as 7-AAD, is commonly used to distinguish between apoptotic and dead cells to exclude the dead cells.

DNA Fragmentation

Mitochondrial Membrane Changes

Once apoptosis starts, changes in the mitochondria membrane potential can be measured with the BD Accuri C6 using the BD™ MitoScreen (JC-1) flow cytometry kit. Increases in mitochondrial membrane potential lead to increased mitochondrial membrane permeability and the release of soluble proteins such as cytochrome c and pro-caspases.

Initiators of Apoptosis

Caspases are important initiators of apoptosis. One of the earliest and most consistently observed characteristics of apoptosis is the activation of a series of cytosolic proteases, called caspases. When apoptosis is activated, caspases cleave multiple protein substrates en masse, which leads to the loss of cellular structure and function, and ultimately results in cell death.

Last Phases in Apoptosis

DNA fragmentation is one of the last phases in apoptosis resulting from the activation of endonucleases during the apoptotic process. The BD™ APO-BrdU Apoptosis Detection kit uses end labeling or the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) nick end labeling (TUNEL method) to support the study of DNA fragmentation.

DNA Fragmentation