Cell proliferation studies based on the thymidine incorporation assay are employed frequently in immunological, cancer, stem cells, and pharmaceutical research to assess the ability both of natural and synthetic compounds to stimulate or inhibit the proliferation of lymphocytes and other cells.
Cell proliferation assays measure the incorporation of a radiolabeled DNA precursor, 3H- or 14C- thymidine, into the replication strands of DNA produced during cell division. Cultures are typically set up in microplates. The labeled DNA is usually captured with a cell harvester on glass fiber filters discs, which are then placed in liquid scintillation counting vials or directly harvested into a filter plate for counting on a scintillation beta-counter. The assay can also be performed using a scintillating Cytostar-T® plate, which requires no filtration step or scintillation cocktail.