Trypan Blue

Chemical Name

tetrasodium 3,3'-{[3,3'-dimethyl(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diyl]bis(azo)}bis(5-amino-4-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulphonate)

InChI Key

DELHWSZXMIOOES-KYRSKEKDSA-J

Solubility

Soluble in water. Partially Soluble in alcohol.

Trypan blue is a diazo dye used in ophthalmic cataract surgery to stain the anterior capsule in the presence of a mature cataract, to aid in visualization, before creating the continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis. Trypan Blue is an acid azo dye commonly used as a stain to distinguish viable from non-viable cells. It turns dead cells blue and viable cells unstained. It is a known animal carcinogen and an experimental teratogen. A dye obtained from tolidine that is absorbed by the macrophages of the reticuloendothelial system and is therefore used for staining cells in biological research. Trypan blue is an antiprotozoal drug first used to treat Babesia infection in 1909 and still commonly used to treat Babesia canis. The complex chemical structure has been progressively simplified, yielding such other widely used drugs as imidocarb.

Applications:

Trypan Blue is a water-soluble dye used for the dye exclusion test for cell viability to distinguish between viable and nonviable cells by seeping into nonviable cells with damaged plasma membranes causing them to appear blue.Trypan blue is a dye used to distinguish between live and dead cells. It is a vital stain that is not absorbed by healthy viable cells, but stains cells with a damaged cell membrane. This way, only dead cells can be counted. The method is sometimes referred to as the dye exclusion method.Trypan Blue Solution, is routinely used as a cell stain to assess cell viability using the dye exclusion test. This test is often performed while counting cells with the hemocytometer during routine subculturing, but can be performed any time cell viability needs to be determined quickly and accurately. The dye exclusion test is based upon the concept that viable cells do not take up impermeable dyes (like Trypan Blue), but dead cells are permeable and take up the dye.Trypan Blue is recommended for counting viable mammalian cells. Viable cell counts should be performed where a decrease in cell viability may be expected, for example, when working with cryopreserved cells or cells manipulated ex vivo.