The LIVE/DEAD® Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit is a quick and easy two-color assay to determine viability of cells in a population based on plasma membrane integrity and esterase activity. The kit can be used in flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and with fluorescence microplate readers.

Advantages Over Alternative Methods Include:

•  Faster
•  Safer
•  More sensitive
•  Less expensive

Easily Use with a Wide Variety of Techniques and Cell Types
Ubiquitous intracellular esterase activity and an intact plasma membrane are distinguishing characteristics of live cells. The LIVE/DEAD® Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit quickly discriminates live from dead cells by simultaneously staining with green-fluorescent calcein-AM to indicate intracellular esterase activity and red-fluorescent ethidium homodimer-1 to indicate loss of plasma membrane integrity. It is adaptable to most eukaryotic cells where cytotoxic conditions produce these cellular effects. The assay is useful with a variety of fluorescence-detection methodologies.

Sensitive, Safe, and Efficient
The LIVE/DEAD® Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit is more sensitive than Trypan blue exclusion, a commonly used method for live/dead cell discrimination. The cost-effective LIVE/DEAD® Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit is highly sensitive due to the bright fluorescence of both dyes upon interacting with either live (for calcein-AM) or dead (for ethidium homodimer-1) cells. Background levels are low due to the fact that both dyes are virtually non-fluorescent prior to interacting with cells.

LIVE/DEAD® Assays Available for a Broad Range of Applications
A selection of Invitrogen LIVE/DEAD® Viability Assays is offered for mammalian cells, bacteria, yeast and fungi, as well as Fixable Dead Cell Stain Kits for use in intracellular staining for flow cytometry. All LIVE/DEAD® assays provide quick, positive discrimination between viable and non-viable cells.

Related Link
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