title: Analysis of neuronal cell death in mammals.
abstract: Apoptosis, often defined as programmed cell death, plays a very important role in many physiologic and pathologic conditions. Therefore, detecting apoptotic cells or monitoring the cells progressing to apoptosis is an essential step in basic and/or applied research. Apoptosis is characterized by many biologic and morphologic changes of cells, for example, cytochrome c release from mitochondria, activation of caspases, DNA fragmentation, membrane blebbing, and formation of apoptotic bodies. On the basis of these changes, various assays have been designed to detect or quantify apoptotic cells. The goal of this chapter is to provide readers with a scientific guide to proven methods that highlight the current strategies for detecting apoptosis in the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neuroembryology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amelio
authors.forename: Virve
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cavallucci
authors.forename: Adamo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diamantini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cecconi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D045304:Cytochromes c; D053148:Caspase 3