Bcl-2 Hamster anti-Human, FITC, Clone: 6C8, BD

Description

• Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a normal physiologic process which occurs during embryonic development as well as in maintenance of tissue homeostasis
• The apoptotic program is characterized by certain morphological features
• These include changes in the plasma membrane such as loss of membrane asymmetry and attachment, a condensation of the cytoplasm and nucleus, and internucleosomal cleavage of DNA
• In the final stages, the dying cells become fragmented into “apoptotic bodies” which are rapidly eliminated by phagocytic cells without eliciting significant inflammatory damage to surrounding cells
• Members of the Bcl-2 family play a major role in regulating the cellular response to apoptotic signals
• Bcl-2 is considered to be a novel proto-oncogene because it blocks apoptosis in many cell types
• Bcl-2 is thought to provide selective survival advantage for cells by blocking apoptosis and thus may contribute to tumorigenesis
• Bcl-2 is a 26 kDa intracellular, integral membrane protein found primarily in the nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum and outer mitochondrial membrane.