Specificity
This antibody recognises bromodeoxyuridine (known as BrdU or BrdUrd). BrdU is a synthetic thymidine analog, which when added to cell culture media can be incorporated into the DNA of replicating cells as a substitute for thymidine. This characteristic combined with the ease of detecting incorporated BrdU with the help of anti-BrdU antibodies has resulted in establishing BrdU as a key tool for the visualization of cells in the S-Phase of the cell cycle. BrdU is also commonly used in vivo for monitoring cell proliferation in model systems; BrdU can be administered via intraperitoneal injection, subcutaneous osmotic pump implants or in drinking water.