The enzyme ALDH is highly expressed in viable stem and progenitor cells of various lineages, including hematopoietic, mammary, endothelial, mesenchymal, and neural.
The ALDEFLUOR® reagent system is a non-immunological methods to identify human stem/progenitor cells from bone marrow, peripheral blood, apheresis collections and umbilical cord blood on the basis of their aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity.
High ALDH activity has also been found in other cell types. Only cells with an intact cellular membrane can retain the ALDEFLUOR® reaction product, therefore only viable ALDHbr cells are identified. Dead and/or dying cells without intact cellular membranes will not be counted. ALDH converts the fluorescent ALDH substrate, BAAA (BODIPY®-aminoacetaldehyde) into the negatively charged product BAA- (BODIPY®-aminoacetate) that is retained inside the cells. Cells expressing high levels of ALDH become brightly fluorescent (ALDHbr) and can be identified and enumerated using a standard flow cytometer or isolated by cell sorting for further purification and characterization.
ALDECOUNT® utilizes the same novel technology as ALDEFLUOR®, and is conveniently supplied in single test format for labeling and analysis of stem cells in clinical samples. ALDECOUNT® is available for IVD use only in USA. In the rest of the world, the kit is used as a Research Use Only product.