Improved cell viability assay performance using PrestoBlue® Reagent
Resazurin is a well-established fluorescent dye that is frequently used in various commercially available assay systems. It is a redox indicator that can be added directly to cells in culture. Viable cells convert the dark blue oxidized form of the dye (resazurin) into a red-fluorescent reduced form (resorufin; λEx = 570 nm; λEm = 590 nm). This system is specific for cell viability as non-viable cells rapidly lose metabolic capacity to reduce resazurin, and thus no fluorescent signal is detected.
Life Technologies offers an enhanced version of the commonly available resazurin-based assays, the PrestoBlue® Cell Viability Reagent. This novel dye offers the same analytical properties (fluorescence excitation and emission wavelength) as common resazurin-based assays (eg. alamarBlue®), but is characterized by a significantly shorter incubation time (minimum 15 mins vs 1 hr), increasing experimental efficiency and performance.
This application note describes the evaluation of Life Technologies’ PrestoBlue® Cell Viability Reagent using the Infinite M200 PRO and the Infinite M1000 PRO multimode microplate readers.
