5-Bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) is a synthetic thymidine analog that is incorporated into newly synthesized DNA during the S phase of the cell cycle, replacing thymidine during DNA replication. Because of this property, BrdU is widely used as a marker for DNA synthesis and cell proliferation.

BrdU antibodies specifically recognize BrdU incorporated into cellular DNA, enabling the detection and quantification of proliferating cells. Following DNA denaturation or other appropriate sample treatment to expose the incorporated BrdU, these antibodies can be used to analyze cell proliferation by techniques such as immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunocytochemistry (ICC), immunofluorescence (IF), flow cytometry, and ELISA.

BrdU antibodies are valuable tools in studies of cell-cycle progression, proliferation, tissue regeneration, developmental biology, and cancer research. Detection of BrdU incorporation provides a direct measure of DNA synthesis and can be used to evaluate changes in cell proliferation under different experimental conditions.