Total cell death
M65® ELISA, M65 EpiDeath® ELISA and M65 EpiRat™ ELISA
Cell death occurs by two principal mechanisms, necrosis and apoptosis. While apoptosis is a naturally occurring process, essential in the development and regeneration of tissue and organs, necrosis is a pathologic process resulting from progressive cell injury.
Necrosis is a cell death mechanism normally activated by factors external to the cell, such as a disease, toxicity or tissue trauma, that cause severe damage to the cell. Recently, scientists have also observed programmed necrosis. Cells undergoing necrosis are disrupted and release intracellular contents into the extracellular space in an uncontrolled manner, usually triggering an inflammatory response in the surrounding tissue.
General Information
M65® ELISA M65 EpiDeath® ELISA M65 EpiRat™ ELISA M65® ELISA M65 EpiDeath® ELISA M65 EpiRat™ ELISA M65® ELISA M65 EpiDeath® ELISA M65 EpiRat™ ELISA M65® ELISA M65 EpiDeath® ELISA M65 EpiRat™ ELISA M65® ELISA M65 EpiDeath® ELISA M65 EpiRat™ ELISA
Keratin 18 in Total cell death
One of the proteins that is released into the extracellular space during cell death is the intermediate filament protein keratin 18 (K18), a highly expressed protein in epithelial cell tissue.
During necrosis, cells loose their cell membrane integrity and K18 is released into the extracellular space in its intact form. During apoptosis on the other hand, caspases that cleave intracellular proteins into smaller fragments are activated. Therefore, when the cell dissolves as a result of apoptosis, fragments of K18 are released.
The M5 and M6 Keratin 18 antibodies bind to epitopes of K18 that are not affected by the cleavage of caspases, and therefore detect total levels of soluble K18. Hence they measure total cell death, as a result of apoptosis and /or necrosis.
The M65 ELISA kits
The M65® ELISA and the M65 EpiDeath® ELISA, both based on the unique M5 and M6 antibodies, quantify the total levels of soluble K18 and thus measure the amount of total cell death by any cause. The M65 EpiRat™ ELISA measures the amount of total cell death in rat blood samples.
The M65® ELISA kits
PRODUCT
The M65® ELISA
The M65® ELISA measures total cell death due to apoptosis or necrosis by quantifying the levels of total soluble keratin 18 (K18) released from dying epithelial cells.
PRODUCT
M65 EpiDeath® ELISA
The M65 EpiDeath® ELISA measures the concentration of total soluble keratin 18 (K18) in human plasma, serum and cell culture supernatants. The K18 levels reflect the amount of total cell death, due to apoptosis or necrosis of epithelial cells.
PRODUCT
M65 EpiRat™ ELISA
The M65 EpiRat™ ELISA measures the concentration of total soluble keratin 18 (K18) in rat plasma an serum samples. The K18 levels reflect the amount of total cell death, due to apoptosis or necrosis of epithelial cells.