Caspase activity can be monitored by means of several different methods:
- Assay technologies are available with luminescent readout through the release of Luciferin, which acts as the substrate for the subsequent light generating Luciferase reactions.
- Other setups release fluorescent dyes, Fluorescein or Coumarin derivatives, upon cleavage or colored substances detectable with absorbance measurements.
- Finally, there are substrates labelled with lanthanide chelates and quenchers that are cleaved off by the Caspases so that they can be detected by time-resolved fluorescence.