ALDEFLUOR™ Assay Buffer

ALDEFLUOR™ is a reagent kit that is used to identify human cells that express high levels of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). The activated ALDEFLUOR™ Reagent, BODIPY-aminoacetaldehyde (BAAA), is a fluorescent non-toxic substrate for ALDH, which freely diffuses into intact and viable cells. In the presence of ALDH, BAAA is converted into BODIPY-aminoacate (BAA), which is retained inside the cells. The amount of fluorescent reaction product is proportional to the ALDH activity in the cells and is measured using a flow cytometer. Viable ALDH-bright (ALDHbr) cells can, in principle, be isolated using a cell sorter. Active efflux of the reaction product is inhibited by an efflux inhibitor in the ALDEFLUOR™ Assay Buffer. A specific inhibitor of ALDH, diethylaminobenzaldehyde (DEAB), is used to control for background fluorescence. ALDEFLUOR™ is optimized for the detection of ALDHbr hematopoietic cells in human blood and bone marrow, but it can also be used with non-hematopoietic cells.