StemTAG™ Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Assay Kit, Colorimetric

Product Description

• Quantify active alkaline phosphatase (AP) using a colorimetric activity assay
• Activity assay protocol takes less than 1 hour
• Suitable for human embryonic stem (ES) cells, embryonic germ (EG) cells, and embryonic carcinoma (EC) cells, as well as mouse ES and EG cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are continuous proliferating stem cell lines of embryonic origin first isolated from the inner cell mass (ICM). Two distinguishing features of ES cells are their ability to be maintained indefinitely in an undifferentiated state and their potential to develop into any cell within the body.

Based on previous methods developed for mouse ES cells, human ES cell lines were first established by Dr. James Thomson and colleagues. Like mouse ES cells, human ES cells express high levels of membrane alkaline phosphatase (AP) and Oct-4, a transcriptional factor critical to ICM and germline formation. However, unlike mouse ES cells, hES cells do not express stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA-1).

Although stem cells from different origins require different growth conditions for self-renewal and display different cell surface markers, AP is the most widely used stem cell marker.

pNP Standard Curve and AP Activity Assay. A: A serial 2-fold dilution of pNP standard was prepared in 1X Stop Solution, and the absorbance of each dilution was measured at 405 nm. B: Mouse embryonic D3 cells were grown in the presence or absence of LIF for 5 days. 10 ug of cell lysate was assayed for AP activity according to the Activity Assay Instructions.

The StemTAG™ Alkaline Phosphatase Assay Kit provides an efficient system for monitoring the ES cell undifferentiation/differentiation through a quantitative AP activity assay.