Detection of apoptotic deoxyribonucleic acid break by in situ nick translation

Apoptosis plays a critical role in important biological processes such as morphogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and elimination of genomic damaged or virally infected cells and of self-reactive clones from the immune system (1). Although apoptosis is important during normal development, its aberrant activation may contribute to a number of diseases, such as AIDS, neurodegenerative disorders, and ischemic injury (2). However, impaired apoptosis may be a significant factor in the etiology of diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and viral infections