Catalase (CAT) Activity Assay Kit, 100 Assays (50 Samples), 50 Assays (25 Samples)

Catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), a critical antioxidant enzyme ubiquitous in nearly all aerobic organisms—from mammalian cells to plant tissues and microorganisms—plays an irreplaceable role in safeguarding cells against oxidative damage. Its core biological function is to catalyze the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a toxic byproduct of cellular metabolism (e.g., mitochondrial respiration and peroxisomal reactions), into non-harmful water (H₂O) and oxygen (O₂) through the reaction: 2H₂O₂ → 2H₂O + O₂. This reaction occurs at an extremely high catalytic rate—near the diffusion-controlled limit—making catalase one of the most efficient enzymes known, capable of breaking down millions of H₂O₂ molecules per second per enzyme molecule.

Why Catalase Activity Measurement Matters?

Oxidative Stress Research: Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (including H₂O₂) and the body’s antioxidant defense system, is closely linked to the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. For example, elevated H₂O₂ levels due to reduced catalase activity have been associated with neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease), cardiovascular diseases (atherosclerosis, hypertension), diabetes, and even aging processes. Measuring catalase activity helps researchers assess the severity of oxidative stress in biological samples and explore the mechanisms of disease progression.
Cellular Protection Mechanisms: In eukaryotic cells, catalase is primarily localized in peroxisomes, where it works in synergy with other antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) to maintain redox homeostasis. For instance, in liver and kidney cells—organs with high metabolic activity—catalase accounts for over 60% of H₂O₂ decomposition, preventing lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and DNA damage that would otherwise lead to cell death or dysfunction.
Diverse Research Applications: Catalase activity analysis is not limited to medical and physiological research. It is also widely used in agricultural science (e.g., evaluating the stress tolerance of crops to drought, salinity, or heavy metal exposure), environmental science (e.g., monitoring the impact of pollutants on aquatic organisms’ antioxidant systems), and food science (e.g., assessing the freshness and shelf life of food products by detecting catalase activity in raw materials).

Challenges in Traditional Catalase Activity Assays

Traditional methods for measuring catalase activity, such as direct UV spectrophotometry (monitoring H₂O₂ absorption at 240 nm), often face significant limitations:
Sample Interference: Biological samples (e.g., serum, tissue homogenates) contain proteins, nucleic acids, and other substances that absorb at 240 nm, leading to inaccurate results.
Low Sensitivity: These methods struggle to detect low catalase activity levels (e.g., in dilute cell lysates or early-stage disease samples), limiting their applicability in subtle oxidative stress studies.
Complex Operation: Many traditional assays require strict control of reaction temperature and time, with cumbersome reagent preparation steps that increase experimental variability and labor costs.

Our Catalase (CAT) Activity Assay Kit addresses these challenges by adopting an optimized colorimetric/UV-visible detection method, ensuring high sensitivity, specificity, and ease of use for reliable catalase activity quantification across diverse sample types.