The Induction of Apoptosis in A375 Malignant Melanoma Cells by Sutherlandia frutescens

Figure 4

Cytochrome is released into the cytoplasm in response to S. frutescens treatment. Control and S. frutescens-treated cells were stained with Hoechst 33258, which binds to DNA, MitoTracker orange, which accumulates in active mitochondria, and Alexa-488-tagged anti-cytochrome antibody, which labels cytochrome c. (a) The control-treated cells have intact mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome which is localized in the mitochondria. (b) In the S. frutescens-treated cells, the cytochrome staining appeared more diffuse and less intense yellow staining was observed in the merged image as indicated by white arrows. This is due to a reduced overlap of cytochrome and MitoTracker orange and indicates the release of cytochrome from the mitochondria. The scale bar represents 20 μm.

(a)

(b)