Detect the exact state of your dividing cells.
Cell proliferation, a fundamental aspect of life in organisms, involves the division of cells. During this process, DNA replication is essential, and monitoring DNA synthesis provides insights into the proliferation status of cells. There are different methods to analyze cell proliferation, the most popular among them are the fluorescence and colorimetry assays. One of the groundbreaking fluorescence techniques for detecting cell proliferation is the EdU assay, which offers a reliable method for measuring DNA synthesis and, consequently, cell division rates.
The EdU cell proliferation assay (5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine) offers several advantages over calorimetric cell proliferation assays (such as MTT, XTT, WST-1). Here are some of the main benefits:
1. Direct Measurement of DNA Synthesis:
EdU cell proliferation assay: is based on the incorporation of EdU into DNA during the S-phase of cell division. This allows for a direct and specific measurement of DNA synthesis, providing a more accurate picture of cell proliferation.
Calorimetry assays: These assays measure the metabolic activity of cells, which is an indirect measure of cell proliferation. Factors such as changes in cell metabolism can affect the results.
2. High Sensitivity and Specificity:
EdU cell proliferation assay: EdU enables/ allows very specific and sensitive detection of proliferating cells, as it is specifically incorporated into newly synthesized DNA.
Calorimetry assays: may be less specific because they can also be influenced by other metabolic activities.
3. No Radioactive Labeling:
EdU: Unlike traditional thymidine incorporation methods (such as the 3H-thymidine assay), EdU does not use radioactive substances, making it safer and more environmentally friendly.
Calorimetry assays: also do not use radioactive substances, but they do not offer the same specificity as EdU.
4. Multiplexing and Imaging:
EdU cell proliferation assay: can be easily combined with other fluorescence markers to analyze multiple parameters in the same cells. This allows for simultaneous investigation of cell proliferation and other cellular processes using fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry.
Calorimetry assays: are typically limited to measuring the absorption or fluorescence of metabolites and do not provide the capability to analyze multiple cellular parameters simultaneously.
5. Single-Cell Resolution:
EdU cell proliferation assay: allows the analysis of cell proliferation at the single-cell level, which is particularly useful for studying heterogeneous cell populations and detailed cellular analyses.
Calorimetry assays: provide aggregated data about cell populations and cannot offer information at the single-cell level.
*baseclick GmbH owns the patent for all EdU cell profilertion assays (imaging, flow cytometry and High throughput screening)