Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Use of a Caspase Multiplexing Assay to Determine Apoptosis in a Hypothalamic Cell Model
Published on: April 16, 2014
Stochastic modelling of apoptosis kinetics
D A Fennell1, A Pallaska, M Corbo
1Functional Genomics Unit, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK. d.fennell@qub.ac.uk
Abstract:
Robust quantitative estimation of average whole cell mitochondrial dysfunction is a useful tool for assessing sensitivity to apoptotic stimuli induced either by novel agents, or following manipulation of apoptotic threshold by pharmacological or functional genomics approaches. We have mathematically modelled the kinetics of whole cell mitochondrial membrane potential depolarisation within a population of cells as a Bernouli transition. An exponential distribution enables the median latency preceding mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation to be derived. The kinetic model can be fitted to in vitro single cell resolution data derived from kinetic flow cytometric studies by non-linear regression. We propose that kinetic determination of cumulative frequency distributions provides a useful approach for estimating apoptosis sensitivity across cell populations over short time-frames.
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Cell Death
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Apoptosis
Caspases
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

