During the cell cycle, duplicated sister chromatids become physically connected 
during S phase through a process called sister-chromatid cohesion. Cohesion is 
terminated during the metaphase-to-anaphase transition to trigger 
sister-chromatid segregation. The establishment and dissolution of cohesion are 
highly regulated by the cohesin complex and its multitude of regulators. In 
particular, the cohesin regulator Wapl promotes the release of cohesin from 
chromosomes during both interphase and mitosis. Here, we describe in vitro 
protein binding assays between Wapl and a cohesin subcomplex, and cellular 
assays in human cells that probe the functions of Wapl in cohesin release.