[1'-D]2'-deoxyuridine

[1'-D]2'-deoxyuridine, also known as 1'-deoxy-2'-deoxyuridine, is a modified nucleoside that is commonly used in biochemical and medical research. This compound is structurally similar to the nucleoside thymidine, which is a building block of DNA. However, [1'-D]2'-deoxyuridine contains a deuterium atom at the 1' position, which makes it a useful tracer molecule for studying DNA synthesis and metabolism. One of the primary uses of [1'-D]2'-deoxyuridine is as a radiolabeled tracer in cell proliferation assays. In these experiments, cells are incubated with the labeled nucleoside, which is incorporated into newly synthesized DNA during cell division. By measuring the amount of radioactivity incorporated into the DNA, researchers can estimate the rate of cell proliferation and DNA synthesis. Chemically, [1'-D]2'-deoxyuridine is a pyrimidine nucleoside, consisting of a deoxyribose sugar molecule linked to the nitrogenous base uracil. The deuterium atom at the 1' position of the sugar molecule is an isotopic variant of hydrogen, which has one proton and one neutron in its nucleus instead of just one proton. This subtle difference in atomic structure allows researchers to track the fate of the nucleoside in cells and tissues using specialized analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry. Overall, [1'-D]2'-deoxyuridine is a valuable tool for studying DNA metabolism and cell proliferation in a variety of biological systems.