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MTT/MTS assays: Measure cell metabolic activity through the reduction of
tetrazolium compounds.
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CellTiter-Glo®: It is a cell assay that measures cell viability by quantifying
ATP released from living cells, providing a direct indication of the number of
viable cells in a culture.
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Trypan blue exclusion assay: Counts viable cells that exclude the dye.
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Propidium iodide staining: Identifies dead cells by staining DNA.
Apoptosis Assays:
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Caspase 3/7 Assay: Measures the activation of 3/7 caspases which are key
enzymes that execute apoptosis, or programmed cell death in cells.
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Annexin V staining: Detects phosphatidylserine exposure on the outer leaflet
of the plasma membrane.
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TUNEL assay (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end
labelling): Identifies DNA fragmentation.
Proliferation Assays:
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BrdU (Bromodeoxyuridine) incorporation assay: Measures DNA synthesis
by incorporating BrdU into newly synthesized DNA.
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Ki-67 staining: Detects the proliferation marker Ki-67 in cells.
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EdU (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine) incorporation assay: A more modern
alternative to BrdU.
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Cell cycle analysis: Cell cycle analysis by DNA content measurement is
commonly performed using flow cytometry with fluorescent dyes like
propidium iodide or DAPI. The fluorescence intensity correlates with the
amount of DNA in cells, allowing differentiation of cells in different phases of
the cell cycle.
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cAMP assays: Quantify cyclic AMP levels as a marker of GPCR activation.
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Phosphorylation assays: Detect the phosphorylation status of proteins using
antibodies.
Selecting Fashion Theme
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Luminex assays: Simultaneously measure multiple analytes in a single
sample using bead-based technology.
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Cytokine profiling: Quantify multiple cytokines secreted by cells.
Enzymatic assays:
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Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): The fluorescent dyes like DCFDA that
react with ROS to produce a fluorescent signal is used. The cells are incubated
with the probe, stimulated to produce ROS, and the fluorescence is measured.
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Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS): The NOS assay is crucial in understanding
various biological processes, such as neurotransmission, vascular regulation,
immune response, and apoptosis, where NO plays a significant role. The assay
involves a series of reactions that convert NO into nitrite and nitrate, which are
then quantified using colorimetric or spectrophotometric methods.
Cell Migration and Invasion Assays:
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Scratch (wound healing) assay: Measures cell migration into a scratched area
on a cell monolayer.
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Migration assay: Assesses the movement of cells through a membrane
towards a chemoattractant.
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Matrigel invasion assay: Evaluates cell invasion through a Matrigel-coated
membrane.
High-content Screening (HCS):
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Automated microscopy: Captures and analyses multiple cellular parameters.
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Image-based assays: Quantify cellular features such as morphology, protein
localization, and cell cycle.
Cell Differentiation Assays:
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Osteogenesis, adipogenesis, and myogenesis assays: Measure the
differentiation of stem cells into specific lineages.
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Neurite outgrowth assays: Assess the differentiation and growth of neurons.
Permeability Assay:
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CaCO2: It is a gold standard method for evaluating both passive and active
transport and absorption of orally administered drugs, making it an indispensable
tool in drug development
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Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay (PAMPA): It is a
complementary tool to evaluate the passive transportation of drugs.
Receptor Internalization and Trafficking Assays:
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Fluorescent ligand binding: Visualize receptor internalization using labelled
ligands.
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Tag-based assays (e.g., HA, GFP-tagged receptors): Monitor receptor
trafficking.