Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-03-26DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.014
Peihao Sun, Weinan Yin, Mengmeng Sheng, Yawen Meng, Kaiwen Han, Zhihao Li, Yanchao Xu, Shaojie Cui, Jin Ye
{"title":"Detecting ferroptotic cells using an antibody against hyperoxidized PRDX3.","authors":"Peihao Sun, Weinan Yin, Mengmeng Sheng, Yawen Meng, Kaiwen Han, Zhihao Li, Yanchao Xu, Shaojie Cui, Jin Ye","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ferroptosis is a regulated form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Although its biological and clinical relevance is increasingly clear, routine and specific detection of ferroptosis remains challenging, especially in tissues and clinical specimens. Indirect measurements of ferroptosis such as lipophilic fluorescent probes (C11-BODIPY581/591), reactive aldehydes (MDA/4-HNE), and pharmacological rescue either lack specificity for ferroptosis, or are impractical for in vivo analysis. Recent work has identified hyperoxidized peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3), also known as SO<sub>2/3</sub>-PRDX3, as a ferroptosis-specific biomarker: Under ferroptotic stress, mitochondrial PRDX3 undergoes selective and irreversible hyperoxidation at its catalytic cysteine residue to generate sulfinic/sulfonic derivatives, a reaction facilitating ferroptosis. Building on this biology, here we outline a method that detects ferroptosis in cells and tissues using 5H7c, a rabbit monoclonal antibody recognizing hyperoxidized but not unmodified PRDX3. The approach offers high specificity, broad sample compatibility (cell lines, animal tissues), and platform flexibility (Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence).</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"206 ","pages":"95-107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147817092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.01.015
Jianling Liu, Daichao Xu
{"title":"Establishment of LPS-induced sepsis and TNF-induced SIRS.","authors":"Jianling Liu, Daichao Xu","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.01.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.01.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Programmed cell death (PCD) serves as a fundamental biological mechanism essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and orchestrating physiological processes, while its dysregulation constitutes a hallmark of diverse pathological conditions. Substantial evidence has implicated aberrant PCD pathways in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the various in vitro systems for cell death investigation, in vivo models retain significant advantages. The current research proposal specifically delineates two well-characterized in vivo models: (1) lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis model and (2) tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-mediated systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) model. These established in vivo experimental systems enable more convincing evidence for cell death research.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"205 ","pages":"189-198"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147662947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.01.010
Laurel B Stine, Fiachra Humphries
{"title":"Measurement of plasma membrane rupture via confocal microscopy.","authors":"Laurel B Stine, Fiachra Humphries","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.01.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.01.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To maintain homeostasis, cells undergo a tightly regulated process called programmed cell death. Some forms of programmed cell death, such as pyroptosis, can elicit a strong inflammatory response by releasing cytokines through small protein pores. The terminal event of pyroptosis in most cells is plasma membrane rupture (PMR), which breaks down large sections of the plasma membrane and emits intracellular contents that can further amplify the inflammatory signal. In opposition to the previous dogma that PMR is a passive event, it was recently discovered that the transmembrane protein, Ninjurin-1 (NINJ1), is the key executor of PMR. Two models of NINJ1-mediated PMR predict that NINJ1 oligomerizes into filaments or ring-like structures to either open large pores or to excise sections of the membrane. Both models underpin how NINJ1 must oligomerize to execute PMR. When at rest, NINJ1 will autoinhibit oligomerization and activation by forming face-to-face dimer-dimer structures on the plasma membrane. Follow-up studies have shown that NINJ1 executes PMR for other forms of programmed cell death, including apoptosis, ferroptosis, and PANoptosis, as well as mechanical cell death. Thus, assessing NINJ1 function directly through quantification of NINJ1 oligomerization is important to expanding our understanding of both programmed and mechanistic cell death. Here, we describe methods to visualize and quantify NINJ1 oligomerization via immunofluorescence imaging of NINJ1 puncta. This protocol enables more precise and accurate measurement of NINJ1 function during PMR, surpassing conventional methods that just quantify PMR by-products.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"205 ","pages":"47-62"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147663012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-05-02DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.003
Michael B P F Hector, Ivan K H Poon, Jascinta P Santavanond
{"title":"Assessing the activity of caspase-activated pannexin-1 channels by flow cytometry.","authors":"Michael B P F Hector, Ivan K H Poon, Jascinta P Santavanond","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pannexin 1 (PANX1) is a ubiquitously expressed plasma membrane channel that plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis through the release of small signalling metabolites. Under cell death settings, PANX1 channels can become activated by caspase-3/7 cleavage. This leads to the release of chemotactic 'find-me' signals and anti-inflammatory 'good-bye' signals. Additionally, caspase-activated PANX1 channels can regulate the fragmentation of dying cells. Due to the various cellular pathways that PANX1 channels are involved in, this membrane channel has emerged as an attractive target for novel therapeutics. To assess the effectiveness of pharmacological inhibition on caspase-activated PANX1 channels, the cell-impermeable nucleic acid-binding dye, TO-PRO-3 can be used due to its ability to be selectively taken up into apoptotic cells through caspase-activated PANX1 channels. Here we describe a robust flow cytometry-based protocol utilising Annexin A5 and TO-PRO-3 staining to accurately monitor apoptotic cell death and PANX1 channel activity. This approach can be easily adapted to investigate pharmacological compounds that have the potential to inhibit caspase-activated PANX1 channels.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"209 ","pages":"41-53"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148437553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-04-09DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2025.03.017
Robin Demuynck, Dmitri V Krysko
{"title":"A 3D model for assessing regulated cell death modalities.","authors":"Robin Demuynck, Dmitri V Krysko","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2025.03.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2025.03.017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Three-dimensional (3D) models more closely represent the in vivo situation and are therefore more relevant models for drug screening. Among the more than twelve regulated cell death (RCD) modalities, immunogenic cell death (ICD) stands out for its ability to initiate efficient anti-tumor immune response. For example, ferroptosis, which can be induced via the inhibition of GPX4 leading to uncontrolled lipid peroxidation, might be immunogenic under certain conditions. It is crucial to identify which cell death modality is induced, as certain cancer types exhibit resistance to specific forms of cell death. However, a major limitation of 3D models is the lack of high-throughput assays, which often require dissociation of the 3D models, potentially leading to misinterpretation of results. Here, we describe a protocol for identifying and quantifying the induction of RCD modalities in 3D models, such as spheroids. This method eliminates the need for tumor spheroid dissociation and is compatible with other screening techniques, including confocal microscopy. This protocol enables high-throughput screening of various cell death inducers in intact 3D models, serving as a crucial first step in the identification of novel inducers and their specificity for particular ICD and RCD types.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"204 ","pages":"81-92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147581747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-04-29DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.008
Weimin Sun, Daichao Xu
{"title":"High-throughput screening for cell death inducers and inhibitors.","authors":"Weimin Sun, Daichao Xu","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-throughput screening (HTS) has become an essential tool for identifying potential inducers and inhibitors of programmed cell death (PCD), a process crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating various physiological and pathological conditions. The dysregulation of cell death pathways is implicated in numerous diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and autoimmune diseases. This protocol focuses on utilizing HTS to uncover novel small molecules and proteins that modulate cell death pathways, providing valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. Through cell-based assays, biochemical methods, and advanced data analysis techniques, HTS enables the rapid identification of compounds that either induce or inhibit key cell death processes. Despite decades of research, many aspects of cell death remain inadequately understood, highlighting the continued need for exploration. Integrating HTS with genome-wide screening offers a powerful approach to accelerate the discovery of therapeutic candidates that target abnormal cell death regulation in diseases, providing new avenues for drug development.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"209 ","pages":"173-186"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148437539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-05-12DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.002
Konstantinos Danias, Victoria Alexandra Bjerregaard, Marja Jäättelä
{"title":"Sensitive detection of lysosomal membrane permeabilization using the galectin puncta assay.","authors":"Konstantinos Danias, Victoria Alexandra Bjerregaard, Marja Jäättelä","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Lysosomal Galectin Puncta Assay is a microscopy-based technique able to detect even minor lysosomal leakage with high sensitivity. This protocol describes the detection of galectin puncta as markers of lysosomal membrane permeabilization, a process that relies on the high-affinity binding of the cytosolic galectins to the luminal glycans exposed on damaged lysosomes. Compared to traditional methods, the Galectin Puncta Assay offers high sensitivity, detects subtle lysosomal leakage, and enables analysis at single-lysosome level. Here, we provide a step-by-step protocol for this assay, covering sample preparation, immunostaining, imaging and image quantification.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"209 ","pages":"27-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148437564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.007
Jesse D Gelles, Md Abdullah Al Noman, Jarvier N Mohammed, Jerry Edward Chipuk
{"title":"Utilizing FLAMBE to study the structure-function relationship and regulation of monomeric BAX activation in solution.","authors":"Jesse D Gelles, Md Abdullah Al Noman, Jarvier N Mohammed, Jerry Edward Chipuk","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.04.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The BCL‑2 family member BAX is responsible for inducing mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) and committing a cell to apoptosis. Specifically, native BAX is an inactive cytosolic monomer, which, upon activation by direct activator BCL‑2 family proteins, undergoes intramolecular rearrangements and structural changes, resulting in BAX translocation to the mitochondrial outer membrane, oligomerization, and MOMP - collectively, we refer to this progression of structural conformers as the BAX activation continuum. In vitro BAX activation studies are invaluable tools for investigating BAX structure-function biology and studying cellular and pharmacological modulators of apoptosis; however, such methodologies are commonly limited to endpoint functional phenotypes (e.g., membrane permeabilization) and thus overlook molecular regulation of soluble monomeric BAX. To address this methodological gap, we developed FLAMBE (a fluorescence polarization ligand assay for monitoring BAX early-activation), a solution-based kinetic assay that infers BAX activation via the concomitant dissociation of a labeled BH3 peptide. FLAMBE maintains the benefits of rapid kinetic data generation in an economical microplate format using commercially available reagents without requiring specialized equipment or large quantities of protein. Herein, this protocol describes how to perform FLAMBE assays, the recommended optimization workflow, and a dual-metric parameterization strategy to distill kinetic data for comparative analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"209 ","pages":"1-26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148437583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-03-09DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.020
Zezhao Chen, Daichao Xu
{"title":"Isolation and maintenance of commonly used primary cells for cell death research.","authors":"Zezhao Chen, Daichao Xu","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This protocol provides detailed methods for the preparation, culture, and maintenance of two essential primary cell lines used in cell death studies: mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). These primary cells serve as valuable models for investigating molecular mechanisms of cell death pathways due to their physiological relevance compared to immortalized cell lines. The protocol covers isolation techniques from mouse embryos (for MEFs) and bone marrow (for BMDMs), differentiation protocols, culture conditions, cryopreservation methods. This comprehensive guide enables researchers to establish reliable primary cell culture systems for apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and other cell death-related studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"206 ","pages":"201-215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147817020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Methods in cell biologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-03-12DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.015
Ammar Samra, Abdelmnim Radoua, Elif Sila Tanaydin, Bachar Alrustom, Morgane Bordessoules, Timothée Fischer, Matthias Callot, Simon Georgsson, Bettina Rávai, Béla Mátravölgyi, Erika Bálint, Leif A Eriksson, Johanna Chluba, Stéphanie Plenchette, Olivier Micheau
{"title":"Quantifying loss of cell viability or adhesion using methylene blue.","authors":"Ammar Samra, Abdelmnim Radoua, Elif Sila Tanaydin, Bachar Alrustom, Morgane Bordessoules, Timothée Fischer, Matthias Callot, Simon Georgsson, Bettina Rávai, Béla Mátravölgyi, Erika Bálint, Leif A Eriksson, Johanna Chluba, Stéphanie Plenchette, Olivier Micheau","doi":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.mcb.2026.02.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Methylene blue is a versatile dye used in cell biology to quantify cell adhesion and indirectly assess cell death. Unlike viability assays that rely on metabolic activity or membrane integrity, methylene blue binds to cellular proteins, making it particularly effective for staining adherent cells. This property is the basis of the assay we describe here, which allows direct measurement of cell detachment, a hallmark of various cell death processes, including apoptosis and anoikis. Using a simple staining and washing procedure, methylene blue selectively labels cells that remain attached to the culture surface after detached or dying cells have been removed. After washing, the retained dye can then be eluted and quantified spectrophotometrically, providing a reliable and cost-effective method for evaluating cytotoxicity, drug responses, and adhesion dynamics. This chapter outlines the principles, advantages, and practical applications of methylene blue staining in cell-based assays, highlighting its role as a powerful tool for studying cell survival, or detachment in both basic and applied research.</p>","PeriodicalId":18437,"journal":{"name":"Methods in cell biology","volume":"206 ","pages":"125-143"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147817093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}