Cell Cycle and Apoptosis Analysis Kit

Description

The Cell Cycle and Apoptosis Analysis Kit employs the classic propidium iodide (PI) staining method to analyze cell cycle distribution and apoptosis by flow cytometry. PI is a fluorescent dye that intercalates into double-stranded DNA, with fluorescence intensity directly proportional to cellular DNA content. After staining, DNA content is quantified to distinguish different phases of the cell cycle and identify apoptotic cells. In PI-based analysis, cells in the G0/G1 phase display a baseline fluorescence intensity defined as 1, while cells in the G2/M phase, containing twice the genomic DNA, exhibit an intensity of approximately 2. Cells in the S phase show intermediate fluorescence due to ongoing DNA replication. During apoptosis, nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation result in partial loss of DNA, producing a population of weakly stained cells with fluorescence intensity less than 1, known as the sub-G1 peak.