The LIVE/DEAD™ Fixable Aqua Dead Cell Stain Kit is used to determine the viability of cells prior to the fixation and permeabilization required for intracellular antibody staining or prior to elimination of biohazardous materials using formaldehyde fixation. This kit has been optimized and validated for use with a violet laser flow cytometer.

• Stable—dyes are freeze dried in separate vials to maintain stability

• Robust—staining pattern is the same before and after fixation

• Low compensation—minimal spectral overlap between other fluorophores

View a selection guide for all fixable viability dyes for flow cytometry.

Stable
Unlike products that are sold in solution, the LIVE/DEAD™ Fixable Aqua Stain has been conveniently packaged in 40-test vials to help ensure the stability and performance of the dye over time. Amine reactive dyes in solution will lose their effectiveness over a short period of time, therefore it is recommended to completely use the vial once rehydrated. If this is not possible, aliquot the vials in small volumes and store at -80°C, avoiding freeze-thaw cycles.

Robust
Dead cell discriminator stains can lose sensitivity after treatment with fixatives such as formaldehyde or ethanol-based fixation methods required for intracellular phosphorylation studies. The LIVE/DEAD™ Fixable Aqua Stain is an amine reactive dye that binds covalently to intracellular and extracellular amines, and the staining pattern is preserved following formaldehyde fixation.

Low compensation
The LIVE/DEAD™ Fixable Aqua Stain was selected based on its fluorescent properties to minimize compensation between other violet dyes and dyes that excite off of the 488 nm blue laser. The aqua-fluorescent reactive dye has an excitation maximum of ∼375 nm, but it is excited well with the 405 nm violet laser, and it has an emission maxima of ∼512 nm, so it can be collected in the second channel on most violet laser flow cytometers.

How it works
In cells with compromised membranes, the dye reacts with free amines both in the cell interior and on the cell surface, yielding intense fluorescent staining. In viable cells, the dye's reactivity is restricted to the cell-surface amines, resulting in less intense fluorescence. The difference in intensity is typically greater than 50-fold between live and dead cells, allowing for easy discrimination.

Colors available
LIVE/DEAD™ Fixable Dead Cell Stains are available in a wide variety of colors to meet your multi-color panel needs.