The study of apoptosis, or programmed cell death is of particular interest in the studies of embryogenesis, regulation of immune response, and cell differentiation.
Apoptosis is also the mode in which chemo-therapeutic agents and hormones induce tumor cell death.
Observable features of apoptosis are chromatin condensation, followed by nuclear fragmentation, cell shrinkage, and distorted morphology. Cells were cytocentrifuged onto glass microscope slides and coverslipped with a glycerin-based mounting medium. The slide was analyzed by the Laser Scanning Cytometer using the argon laser operating at 10mW. Cells were identified and selected by contouring on red fluorescence and a minimum cell size, as determined by PI staining. The FITC signal was measured inside the PI contour. Integrated FITC and PI fluorescence of each cell is displayed in the above dot plot.