Mitochondrial Membrane Potential Assay Kit (with JC-1)

Product Description

The decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential is a marker event in the early stage of apoptosis. It occurs before the appearance of nuclear apoptotic features (chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation). Once the mitochondrial membrane potential collapses, apoptosis is irreversible.

JC-1 is an ideal fluorescent probe widely used to detect mitochondrial membrane potential deltaΨm. In normal cells, the mitochondrial membrane potential is high, JC-1 aggregates in the mitochondrial matrix to form a polymer, which can produce red fluorescence. In the early stage of apoptosis, the mitochondrial membrane potential decreases, JC-1 can’t accumulate in the mitochondrial matrix. When JC-1 is a monomer, it can produce green fluorescence. The decrease of cell membrane potential can be detected by the transition of JC-1 from red fluorescence to green fluorescence, and the transition of JC-1 fluorescence color can be used as an early detection indicator of cell apoptosis. The relative ratio of red and green fluorescence is commonly used to measure the ratio of mitochondrial depolarization. 

Sample Type: Cell samples
Assay Time: 40 min
Detection Instrument: Fluorescence Microscope, Flow Cytometer
Dye Type: JC-1
Ex/Em: 514/529, 585/590
Channel Set: FITC, PE

Performance Data

Fig.1: The effect of this kit to detect apoptosis induced by camptothecin in Jurkat cells is shown: normal cells (left) have a small amount of apoptosis, which is manifested as a small amount of mitochondrial membrane potential collapse cells; induced apoptotic cells (middle, 2.5 μM camptotheca Alkaline-treated Jurkat cells for 24 h) had a large number of mitochondrial membrane potential collapse cells; CCCP-treated cells (right, positive control) almost all cells had mitochondrial membrane potential collapse.

Fig.2: Normal Hela cells(Control,top) were not treated with drugs. have a small amount of apoptosis, which is manifested as a small amount of mitochondrial membrane potential collapse cells; 10 μM camptotheca treated Hela cells for 24 h (bottom) , had a large number of mitochondrial membrane potential collapse cells.