Cellular Senescence Assay

Cellular senescence is one of the most fundamental aspects of cell behavior, and is thought to play a critical role in regulating cellular lifespan both in vitro and in vivo [1-3]. Primary somatic cells grown in vitro do not proliferate indefinitely. Instead, after a period of rapid proliferation, cell division rate slows, and ultimately ceases altogether, with the cells becoming unresponsive to mitogenic stimuli. This process is termed cellular senescence, and senescent cells have a well-defined accompanying phenotype - increased cell size, distinctive flat morphology, accumulated lipofuscin granules, wide changes in gene expression, and activity of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) [2,3].

It is generally believed that cellular senescence reflects some of the changes that occur during the aging of organisms, and senescent cells have been detected in vivo at sites of age-related pathology, such as benign hyperplastic prostate [4] and atherosclerotic lesions [5]. Recent studies have also provided convincing demonstrations of cellular senescence occurring in vivo in response to internally- and externally-induced stress signals [6,7]. In all of these studies, senescence was characterized by the appearance of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, in common with the senescent phenotype in vitro.

Cellular senescence has become an increasingly important target in the development of novel therapeutics. Emerging data implicates senescence bypass in the development of cancer and suggests that senescence may represent a tumor suppressor mechanism. The demonstration that tumor cells can be induced to undergo replicative senescence following the introduction of negative cell-cycle regulators, anti-telomerase peptides, or drug treatment suggests that induction of senescence can be exploited as a basis for cancer therapy [8,9].

For Research Use Only; Not for use in diagnostic procedures

Test Principle:
As outlined above, a classic characteristic of the senescent phenotype is the induction of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity. SA-β-gal is present only in senescent cells, not in presenescent, quiescent, or proliferating cells. Chemicon′s Cellular Senescence Assay Kit provides all the reagents required to efficiently detect SA-β-gal activity at pH 6.0 in cultured cells and tissue sections. In this assay, SA-β-gal catalyzes the hydrolysis of X-gal, which results in the accumulation of a distinctive blue color in senescent cells. Each kit provides sufficient quantities of reagents to perform at least 50 assays in 35 mm wells.

Cellular Senescence Assay Kits provide all the reagents required to efficiently detect SA-β-gal activity at pH 6.0 in cultured cells & tissue sections.

100X Fixing Solution: (Part No. 2004755) One 1.5 mL vial

10X Staining Solution A: (Part No. 2004756) One 15 mL bottle

10X Staining Solution B: (Part No. 2004754) One 15 mL bottle

X-gal Solution: (Part No. 2004752) Two 1.5 mL vials

Store X-gal solution protected from light at -20°C, and other kit components at 4°C. All components supplied are stable for 1 year.

Precautions:
Please refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet at www.chemicon.com for any necessary precautions.

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Unless otherwise stated in our catalog or other company documentation accompanying the product(s), our products are intended for research use only and are not to be used for any other purpose, which includes but is not limited to, unauthorized commercial uses, in vitro diagnostic uses, ex vivo or in vivo therapeutic uses or any type of consumption or application to humans or animals.