C. Cell Proliferation Kinetics Analyzed with BrdU and Near-UV Light Treatment

摘要

Since its discovery by Greer and Zamenhof in 1957, the sensitization to ultraviolet light of cells containing bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-substituted DNA has proven to be a powerful tool for the molecular biologist. The protolysis of DNA substituted with BrdU has provided techniques for such diverse applications as mutant selection, gene mapping, and DNA repair 'patch-length' analysis. Also, the increased mass of the BrdU-substituted DNA was formed the basis for studies of semiconservative replication and DNA repair replication. A third property of BrdU, its interaction with various fluorescent dyes, has yielded increased sensitivity for the analysis of sister chromatid exchange. The latter technique has also provided considerable information concerning in vitro cell cycle kinetics.