Annexin-V Apoptosis Kit

ANNEXIN-V APOPTOSIS KIT

(Cat. No. FC007)

Introduction:

Apoptosis is an active form of cell death that can be triggered by a variety of extrinsic and intrinsic signals. It is observed that during apoptotic cell death endogenous endonucleases become activated and cause the fragmentation of nuclear DNA into fragments . Because of the partial degradation of DNA in apoptotic cells, the fraction of low molecular weight DNA can be extracted whereas the nondegraded DNA remains in the cell. Certain morphologic feature, including loss of plasma membrane asymmetry and attachment, condensation of the cytoplasm and nucleus, and internucleosomal cleavage of DNA, characterizes the apoptosis program. Loss of plasma membrane is one of the earliest features. In apoptotic cells, the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PS) is translocated from the inner to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, thereby exposing PS to the external cellular environment. Annexin-V may be conjugated to fluorochromes that serve as a sensitive probe for flow cytometeric analysis of cells that are undergoing apoptosis. Propidium Iodide is used to assess plasma membrane integrity so as to distinguish cells that are in the stages of apoptosis from those that are in the later stages of apoptosis.

Contents of the kit: