APO-DIRECT (TUNEL) Products

Description

Apoptosis is programmed cell death. It is believed to take place in most eukaryotic cells. It is a distinct event that triggers characteristic morphological and biological changes in the cellular life cycle. It is common during embryogenisis, normal tissue and organ involution, cytotoxic immunological reactions and occurs naturally at the end of the life span of differentiated cells. It can also be induced in cells by the application of several different agents including physiological activators, heat shock, bacterial toxins, oncogenes, chemotherapeutic drugs, ultraviolet and gamma radiation. When apoptosis occurs, the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell often fragment into membrane-bound apoptotic bodies that are then phagocytized by neighboring cells. Alternatively, during necrosis, cell death occurs by direct injury to cells resulting in cellular lysing and release of cytoplasmic components into the surrounding environment often inducing an inflammatory response in the tissue. A landmark of cellular self- destruction by apoptosis is the activation of nucleases that degrade the higher order chromatin structure of the DNA into fragments of 50 to 300 kilobase pairs and subsequently into smaller DNA pieces of about 200 base pairs in length. Numerous reviews of the events accompanying apoptosis are available and several well-researched model systems have been described.

Bioinformatics

Alternate Names

APO DIRECT APO-DIRECT TUNEL assay TUNEL

Research Areas for APO-DIRECT (TUNEL)

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Apoptosis
Apoptosis Detections