Regulatory Status Legend

Description

Caspases are critical mediators of apoptosis and also play roles in other forms of cell death and inflammation. In healthy cells, caspases exist in inactive, pro-enzyme forms. During apoptosis, caspases become activated by cleavage and then proceed to initiate apoptosis. Cells with active caspases can be detected by the BD Pharmingen™ Blue Live Cell Caspase Probe, which contains a fluorochrome-labeled caspase inhibitor. Fluorochrome-labeled caspase inhibitors have three functional domains: (1) a fluorochrome , (2) a 3-amino acid sequence (VAD) that binds to the active site of the activated caspase, and (3) a fluoromethyl ketone (FMK) moiety that allows the probe to irreversibly bind the active caspase. The VAD moiety allows binding of these probes to most of the caspase family (caspase-1, -2, -3, -6, -8, -9, and -10), allowing detection of general caspase activity.

BD Pharmingen™ Blue Live Cell Caspase Probe is excited by the blue laser (with an excitation maximum of 492 nm), and has a fluorescence emission maximum of 514 nm.