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Overview
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Apoptosis is an organized process that signals cells to self-destruct for cell renewal or to control aberrant cell growth. As cells become damaged or are no longer needed, they undergo apoptosis or programmed cell death, a normal physiological process that occurs during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Apoptosis controls the orderly death of damaged cells, whereas necrosis occurs as a result of tissue damage, causing the loss of both damaged and surrounding cells.

 

 

Apoptotic process

The apoptotic process is characterized by certain morphological features. These include changes in the plasma membrane (such as loss of membrane symmetry and attachment), a condensation of the cytoplasm and nucleus, protein cleavage, and internucleosomal cleavage of DNA. In the final stages of the process, dying cells become fragmented into apoptotic bodies and consequently are eliminated by phagocytic cells without significant inflammatory damage to surrounding cells.

 

However, some cell types do not display characteristic features of apoptosis. In those cases, multiple aspects of apoptosis might need to be analyzed to confirm the mechanism of cell death.

 

To support this spectrum of requirements, BD Biosciences offers a full range of apoptosis detection tools and technologies for measuring indicators at different stages across the apoptotic process. BD Biosciences tools use multiple methodologies including flow cytometry, bioimaging and microscopy (for live and fixed cell analysis) as well as ELISA, IHC, western blot and spectrofluorometry.

 

 

Apoptosis Detection Methods
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Apoptosis Tools and Resources
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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.

Alexa Fluor is a trademark of Life Technologies Corporation. APO-BRDU and APO-DIRECT are trademarks of Phoenix Flow Systems. DRAQ7 is a trademark of BioStatus Ltd. Triton is a trademark of Dow Chemical Company.

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