title: Analyzing mitochondrial changes during apoptosis.
abstract: Mitochondria play a central role in programmed cell death through the release of cytochrome c and other proapoptotic factors. Fluorescence microscopy is used to visualize cytochrome c translocation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Flow cytometry can also be used to measure mitochondrial membrane potential. Cytochrome c content in cytosol and mitochondria can be determined by immunoblotting after subcellular fractionation or selective permeabilization with digitonin. Isolated mitochondria can be used to study the mechanism of cytochrome c release. This article summarizes some of the more widely used methods to assess mitochondrial alterations in apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. robbieg@scripps.edu
authors.forename: Roberta A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Granville
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D002474:Cell-Free System; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000032:analysis; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D021381:Protein Transport; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
chemical_list: D051023:BH3 Interacting Domain Death Agonist Protein; C494814:BID protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D011188:Potassium