Merck, S7165, ApopTag Red In Situ Apoptosis Detection Kit

The ApopTag Red In Situ Apoptosis Detection Kit detects apoptosis in situ by the indirect TUNEL method, utilizing an anti-digoxigenin antibody with a rhodamine fluorochrome. The kit provides indirect immunofluorescence staining for 40 samples. Results are analyzed using either fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry (requires a special laser and filters for rhodamine). Indirect ApopTag Kits (S7100, S7101, S7110, S7111 and S7165) have been qualified for use in histochemical and cytochemical staining of the following specimens: formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, cryostat sections, cell suspensions, cytospins, and cell cultures. Whole mount-methods have been developed (34, 45). ApopTag Peroxidase Kits staining specificity has been demonstrated by Chemicon and many other laboratories. Chemicon has tested many types of model cell and tissue systems, including: (a) human prostate, thymus, and large intestine (in-house data); (b) rat ventral prostate post-castration (21), (c) rat thymus lymphocytes treated in vitro with dexamethasone (3, 13), (d) 14-day mouse embryo limbs (1) and (e) rat mammary gland in regression after weaning (36). In the thymocyte and prostate models, agarose gel electrophoresis was used to assess the amount of DNA laddering, which peaked coincidentally with the maximum percentage of stained cells. Numerous journal publications from laboratories worldwide have established the usefulness of ApopTag Kits. (See Sec. V. References, Publications Citing ApopTag Kits). ApopTag Fluorescein and Rhodamine Kits have been tested for specific staining in these model systems: (a) human normal peripheral blood lymphocytes induced with dexamethasone as stained in cytospins, (b) rat regressing mammary gland as stained in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections, and (c) human leukemic peripheral blood lymphocytes induced with camptothecin, as stained in cell suspensions and used for quantitative flow cytometry (22). In some instances, certain tissues contain cell types which bind any fluorescein labeled nucleotide such as that contained in the ApopTag Fluorescein Direct Kit (S7160). It is therefore recommended that this kit (S7160) be used to stain cell suspensions, cytospins and cell cultures, but not tissue sections. Chemicon suggests the use of the ApopTag Fluorescein Kits (S7110, S7111) or the ApopTag Red Kit for staining tissue sections. See datasheet for references.