Cell Health Status Detection Complete Series: From Viability, Toxicity to Apoptosis, One Solution Covers All

In cell biology research, drug screening, and toxicity evaluation, assessing cell viability and health status is the most fundamental and critical experimental step. Whether evaluating compound toxicity, screening anticancer drugs, or optimizing cell culture conditions, accurate, rapid, and reproducible detection of cell viability is essential.

However, different detection principles have their own emphases—some rely on metabolic status, some assess cell membrane permeability, while others directly track apoptotic signaling pathways. Faced with diverse experimental needs, a single detection method often fails to fully reveal the true physiological state of cells. To address this, UA BIOSCIENCE offers a comprehensive series of solutions covering cell viability, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis, helping researchers evaluate cell health status from multiple dimensions.

1. CyQuantiFluor™ Cell Viability Assay Kit: Counting Live Cells Without Relying on Metabolic Status

Traditional cell viability assays often depend on metabolic activity (e.g., ATP content or enzyme activity), but cellular metabolism can be influenced by culture conditions, drug treatments, and other factors, potentially leading to biased results. The CyQuantiFluor™ Cell Viability Assay Kit from UA BIOSCIENCE adopts a novel strategy—directly measuring the DNA content in live cells with intact membranes.

Core Principle: The kit includes a DNA-specific binding dye and a background-shielding dye. The DNA-binding dye emits weak fluorescence when unbound but significantly enhances fluorescence upon entering live cells, crossing the membrane, and binding to DNA. The background-shielding dye cannot penetrate live cell membranes, effectively blocking fluorescence from DNA-binding dyes released by dead cells, ensuring only live cell DNA is detected.

Performance Advantages:- Independent of metabolic status: Directly detects DNA content, unaffected by metabolic fluctuations

• Homogeneous and ready-to-use: Requires only a single addition, reducing experimental errors from multiple steps
• High signal-to-noise ratio and reproducibility: Specific DNA-binding design ensures stable results
• Ideal for high-throughput screening: Particularly suitable for tumor cell proliferation assays and compound screening

2. UA-Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay Kit: The Gold Standard for ATP Detection

ATP-based luminescent cell viability assays are among the most widely used and highly regarded methods. The UA-Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay Kit quantifies ATP content in live cells to indirectly determine cell numbers, with ATP levels showing a strong linear correlation with live cell counts.

Core Principle: ATP in live cells is essential for the luciferase-catalyzed luminescent reaction. The luminescent intensity is proportional to ATP content, reflecting live cell numbers. When cells die, ATP rapidly degrades, enabling precise detection of live cell changes.

Performance Advantages:High sensitivity and wide dynamic range: Detects as few as 100 cells/well, with a linear relationship (r²>0.999)

Simple operation: Homogeneous, ready-to-use formulation reduces steps and human error

Stable signal: Glow-type luminescence is stable, ideal for high-throughput screening

Storage convenience: Stable at room temperature (22°C) for 1 week, 4°C for 2 months, and -20°C or below for 1 year

Applications: Cell proliferation/toxicity screening, drug sensitivity testing, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) evaluation, etc.

3. UA-Glo® Fluorescent Cell Viability Assay Kit: Ideal for Detecting Early Cell Damage

Unlike ATP-based assays, the UA-Glo® Fluorescent Cell Viability Assay Kit detects the activity of a specific protease in live cells, capturing early and subtle functional damage.

Core Principle: The kit targets a protease unique to live cells. This enzyme cleaves a peptide-fluorophore substrate to generate fluorescence. When membrane integrity is compromised, the protease loses activity, halting fluorescence.

Multiplexing Compatibility: A standout feature. The UA-Glo® Fluorescent Cell Viability Assay Kit complements the UA-Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay Kit (UA070103) and is compatible with the UA-Glo® Caspase 3/7 Apoptosis Assay Kit (UA079012), enabling mechanistic toxicity studies.

4. UA-Glo® LDH Luminescent Cytotoxicity Assay Kit: Breaking Sensitivity Barriers of Traditional Colorimetric Methods

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a stable enzyme abundant in the cytoplasm, released into the medium upon membrane damage. Traditional LDH assays rely on colorimetry, with limited sensitivity (detecting ~500 necrotic cells). The UA-Glo® LDH Luminescent Cytotoxicity Assay Kit upgrades the endpoint signal to bioluminescence, dramatically improving sensitivity.

Core Principle: The kit employs an enzyme-coupled luminescent system—LDH in samples oxidizes lactate and reduces NAD⁺ to NADH; a reductase uses NADH to convert a substrate into luciferin, catalyzed by luciferase to emit light. Luminescence intensity is strictly proportional to LDH activity.

Performance Breakthroughs:- Significantly enhanced sensitivity: Detects LDH release from fewer than 10 cells, far surpassing colorimetry

Minimal sample requirement: Only 2-5 µL of cell culture supernatant needed

No cell lysis required: Cells can continue culturing post-detection for continuous monitoring

Homogeneous and ready-to-use: Single-step addition reduces errors

High-throughput compatibility: Easily scalable to 384- or 1536-well plates

Multiplexing Compatibility: Compatible with the UA-Glo® CTG Cell Viability Assay Kit (UA070103), Caspase 3/7 Apoptosis Assay Kit (UA079012), and CTF Fluorescent Cell Viability Assay Kit (UA079015) for multidimensional cell health assessment.

5. UA-Glo® Caspase 3/7 Apoptosis Assay Kit: A Precision Tool for Apoptosis Detection

Caspase-3 and Caspase-7 are key executioners in apoptosis, whose activation marks irreversible apoptotic progression. The UA-Glo® Caspase 3/7 Apoptosis Assay Kit quantifies apoptosis by detecting Caspase 3/7 activity.

Core Principle: The kit contains a substrate comprising a Caspase 3/7-specific tetrapeptide sequence (DEVD) conjugated to aminoluciferin. When uncleaved, aminoluciferin is quenched; active Caspase 3/7 cleaves the sequence, releasing free aminoluciferin, which generates luminescence via luciferase catalysis. Luminescent intensity is proportional to Caspase 3/7 activity.

Performance Advantages:- Ultra-simple workflow: "Add-mix-measure" in one step, no washing or medium changes

Exceptional signal-to-noise and sensitivity: Low background captures early or low-level apoptosis

Wide dynamic range: Stable glow-type signals suit varying apoptosis levels

High-throughput ready: Homogeneous design fits 96-, 384-well plates, etc.

Serum-compatible: No special culture conditions needed

Applications: Anticancer drug screening/evaluation, cytotoxicity mechanism studies, gene function research, etc. Combined with viability assays, significant Caspase 3/7 activation indicates apoptotic death, while viability loss without Caspase activation suggests necrosis or other pathways. UA BIOSCIENCE is committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective cell detection solutions for researchers.