Measurement of Apoptosis by Multiparametric Flow Cytometry

Apoptosis remains a critical phenomenon in cell biology, playing a regulatory role in virtually every tissue system. It is particular crucial in the immune system, ranging from immature immune cell development and selection to downregulation of the mature immune response. Apoptosis is a primary mechanism in the action of antitumor drugs, and is thus an important phenomenon in pharmacology, drug discovery, and toxicology. Flow cytometry is the primary technique for measuring apoptosis in suspension cells; many flow cytometry assays have been developed to measure the entire apoptotic process, from the earliest signal transduction events to the late morphological changes in cell size, proteolysis, and DNA degradation. These assays become even more powerful when they can be combined into single multiparametric assays that can document the process of apoptosis in a single tube. The ability of flow cytometry to measure multiple structural and fluorescent characteristics in single cells is uniquely suited to this task. In this methods review, we show how multiple individual assays can be combined in this fashion. Combining early biochemical and late morphological assays together gives a comprehensive and detailed picture of the apoptotic process.
Source: Springer protocols feed by Pharmacology/Toxicology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news