CD BioSciences, a US-based CRO serving the global life sciences research community, recently launched comprehensive research solutions to study cell death, specifically the apoptotic cell deathwhich is crucial for the normal development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms.

During embryonic development, apoptosis counteracts proliferation by removing unnecessary cells to ensure normal organogenesis. In adults, apoptosis is primarily important to counteract the unrestrained (ie, tumor) proliferation and cyclic involution of many endocrine-dependent tissues. Apoptosis differs from necrosis by (1) the occurrence of characteristic and specific morphological changes and (2) the need for energy synthesis and protein synthesis in dying apoptotic cells to regulate specific genetic and biochemical pathways.

The morphology of apoptosis includes changes within the cell nucleus, within specific organelles (particularly mitochondria) and within the plasma membrane. In what was once thought to be a hallmark of apoptosis, the chromatin in the nucleus fuses as the DNA is first broken down into large fragments of 30-50 kb and then into smaller ribosomal fragments of 180-200 bp. However, these nuclear changes are not necessary for apoptosis since their inhibition cannot prevent cell death.

The rapid temporal course of the apoptotic process, ie completion within a few hours, makes it difficult to identify large numbers of apoptotic cells at any given time. Moreover, this problem becomes further complicated in vivoas apoptosis rate in vivo can even be slower than under experimental conditions in vitroand the close proximity of phagocytes in normal tissues facilitates the rapid clearance of apoptotic cells.

Apoptosis is an important component of a variety of processes, and inappropriate apoptosis has been implicated in a number of human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, ischemic injuries, autoimmune diseases, and many types of…