Kinetic Measurement of Apoptosis and Immune Cell Killing Using Live-Cell Imaging and Analysis

The rapid, efficient detection of cell death is critical for characterizing the underlying biology of in vitro disease models and, in particular, immunotherapy products used for preclinical therapeutic research. Traditional endpoint assays are laborious to perform for mass screening of therapeutic candidates and may fail to fully capture the kinetics of events surrounding the initiation, duration, and mechanisms of cell death—important events that may affect translational relevance and impact therapeutic decision-making during development. Here, we describe simple, efficient methods to measure apoptosis and immune cell killing in both adherent and nonadherent cell populations using the Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis system and associated nonperturbing reagents, cells, and protocols. Assays are performed in the user's own incubator with minimal disturbance and may be readily incorporated into existing workflows. Users may multiplex to maximize data collection from each sample. The integrated, user-friendly software does not require advanced technical training, enabling rapid analysis. Taken together, this method provides essential kinetic insight for greater understanding of cell death and the dynamic interactions between immune cells and their targets.