Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry Priciples for Free Access to Science
  Search:   
    >> Advanced Search

Guidelines | Subscriptions | About | exPRESS - Current - Archive | Business Information | Contact
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mpoke, S. S.
Right arrow Articles by Wolfe, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mpoke, S. S.
Right arrow Articles by Wolfe, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Vol. 45, 675-684, Copyright © 1997 by The Histochemical Society, Inc.

ARTICLE

Differential Staining of Apoptotic Nuclei in Living Cells: Application to Macronuclear Elimination in Tetrahymena

Solomon S. Mpokea and Jason Wolfea
a Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

Correspondence to: Jason Wolfe, Dept. of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459.

Acridine orange (AO) has been used as a vital fluorescent stain to identify apoptotic cells in Drosophila, but little is known about what structures are stained. We explored the specificity of AO staining while studying nuclear apoptosis in Tetrahymena. Using AO alone or together with the vital nuclear stain Hoechst 33342 (HO), we find that lysosomes are generally clustered around the degenerating nucleus and that such nuclei are stained an orange-red color, like lysosomes. Significantly, the combined dyes, more so than with AO alone, distinguish between apoptotic and normal (or necrotic) nuclei by a clear color difference. Moreover, these dyes differentially stain apoptotic and normal nuclei in avian chondrocytes. The differential staining results are nullified in fixed cells or in cytoskeletal preparations treated with RNAse. Similarly, lysosomotrophic agents eliminate the differential staining. Our results are consistent with acidification of the apoptotic nucleus, possibly by fusion with lysosomes. However, even under basic conditions, the macronucleus condenses and is eliminated, suggesting that, if the nucleus is becoming acidified, acidification by itself is not essential for nuclear elimination. The differential staining procedure may provide a useful method for specifically identifying apoptotic cells and separating them for further analysis. (J Histochem Cytochem 45:675-683, 1997)

Key Words: apoptosis, nuclear death, acridine orange, lysosomes, ciliate conjugation, chondrocytes, Hoechst 33342


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Endocr Relat CancerHome page
J. M Haughian, T. A Jackson, D. M Koterwas, and A. P Bradford
Endometrial cancer cell survival and apoptosis is regulated by protein kinase C {alpha} and {delta}
Endocr. Relat. Cancer, December 1, 2006; 13(4): 1251 - 1267.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Nucleic Acids ResHome page
J. S. Yakisich and G. M. Kapler
Deletion of the Tetrahymena thermophila rDNA replication fork barrier region disrupts macronuclear rDNA excision and creates a fragile site in the micronuclear genome
Nucleic Acids Res., January 30, 2006; 34(2): 620 - 634.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Leukoc. Biol.Home page
N. Murai, K. Nagai, H. Fujisawa, K. Hatanaka, M. Kawamura, and Y. Harada
Concurrent evolution and resolution in an acute inflammatory model of rat carrageenin-induced pleurisy
J. Leukoc. Biol., April 1, 2003; 73(4): 456 - 463.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
J. E. Smith III, C. A. Cummings, and C. Cronmiller
daughterless coordinates somatic cell proliferation, differentiation and germline cyst survival during follicle formation in Drosophila
Development, January 7, 2002; 129(13): 3255 - 3267.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Guidelines | Subscriptions | About | exPRESS - Current - Archive | Business Information | Contact
The Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry is owned, published, and licensed by The Histochemical Society © 1997