| Fluorescence-based assays designed to evaluate the functional status of
mitochondria are emerging as useful tools to elucidate the role of mitochondrial
activity1-3 in the apoptosis cascade and other cellular processes. Loss of the
mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) is often4-7, but not
always8,9, observed to be associated with the early stages of apoptosis. Collapse
of this potential is believed to coincide with the opening of the mitochondrial
permeability transition pores, leading to the release of cytochrome C into the
cytosol, which then triggers the downstream events in the apoptotic cascade. |
