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The JAM test. A simple assay for DNA fragmentation and cell death
1Laboratory for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Journal of Immunological Methods
|December 15, 1991
Summary
This study introduces a novel cell death assay measuring DNA retained in living cells, offering a faster, safer, and more sensitive alternative to traditional chromium-51 release assays.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
- Assay Development
Background:
- Current cell death assays rely on measuring cytoplasmic release due to plasma membrane damage.
- These methods, such as chromium-51 (51Cr) release assays, have limitations in sensitivity, cost, and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, more sensitive, and safer method for measuring cell death.
- To quantify cell death by measuring DNA degradation in dying cells.
Main Methods:
- A new assay was developed based on the principle that dying cells fragment their DNA.
- The assay measures DNA retained within viable cells, contrasting with methods measuring released cellular components.
- It is set up similarly to cell lysis assays and harvested like cell proliferation assays.
Main Results:
- The novel DNA-retained assay is faster, more sensitive, easier to implement, less expensive, and safer than the standard 51Cr release assay.
- This method provides a reliable alternative for quantifying cell death.
Conclusions:
- The DNA-retained assay represents a significant improvement over existing cell death measurement techniques.
- This method offers a more efficient and safer approach for researchers studying cell death and viability.