A comparison of methods for multicolor detection of apoptotic and dead cells via calcium-independent phosphatidylserine labeling 3226

Abstract Description Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that allows cells to self-eliminate without triggering inflammatory responses. Since many physiological functions rely on the proper elimination of cells, dysregulated apoptosis can contribute to diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration. Specialized probes compatible with multicolor flow cytometry are needed to study the mechanisms of apoptosis and identify apoptotic cells. Traditional detection reagents, such as Annexin V, require calcium, which can impact cell viability and marker expression. In contrast, Apotracker™ is a family of fluorogenic probes that detects externalized phosphatidylserine (PS) on apoptotic cells and both surface and intracellular PS on dead cells without specialized calcium-containing buffers. The Apotracker family has recently expanded to include three options for apoptotic cell detection, Apotracker Green, Apotracker Tag, and Apotracker Tetra. Here, we compare the distinct properties of these reagents and demonstrate unique applications for their use, including extracellular vesicle detection and dead cell removal. Topic Categories Technological Innovations in Immunology (TECH)