Detection of Telomerase Activity by Sliver Staining Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol

To detect the telomerase activity in human tumor cell line, we established the new method of sliver staining Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol(TRAP). We detected the telomerase activity in human tumor cell line and heat-treated cells as control by combining the sliver stain with TRAP. The human tumor cells were positive for the telomerase activity and the heat-treated cells were negative. Comparing with radioisotopic TRAP, sliver staining TRAP was specific, sensitive, harmless and fast assay for telomerase activity. It could be one of the marks in cancer.