Dead cell stains
Dead cell stains are membrane-impermeant dyes that are excluded by viable cells, but stain necrotic or late apoptotic cells with damaged plasma membranes. Many of our dead cell stains are fluorogenic nucleic acid dyes that only fluoresce when bound to DNA or RNA inside dead cells, eliminating the need to wash before detection. See our full selection of nuclear stains on our Cellular Stains Technology Page.
Most DNA binding dead-cell stains are not fixable, meaning that the dyes will diffuse from stained cells to unstained cells after fixation, resulting in lower signal and higher background. Our Live-or-Dye™ Fixable Viability Stains are membrane-impermeant reactive dyes that covalently label dead cells. While these stains require washing, the staining can withstand fixation and permeabilization for subsequent IF staining. They also are useful for excluding dead cells from flow cytometry analysis of cell surface staining. See our complete selection of Apoptosis & Viability Stains.
Live-or-Dye NucFix™ Red Staining Kit
A red fluorescent dye to covalently label dead cells, allowing cells with permeable plasma membranes to be detected in flow cytometry and microscopy.
A red fluorescent dye to covalently label dead cells, allowing cells with permeable plasma membranes to be detected in flow cytometry and microscopy.
Live-or-Dye™ Fixable Viability Staining Kits
Kits to covalently label dead cells, allowing cells with permeable plasma membranes to be excluded from analysis in flow cytometry. A wide variety of dye options for standard flow, spectral flow, and fluorescence microscopy.
Kits to covalently label dead cells, allowing cells with permeable plasma membranes to be excluded from analysis in flow cytometry. A wide variety of dye options for standard flow, spectral flow, and fluorescence microscopy.
NucSpot® 470 Nuclear Stain, 1000X in DMSO
A cell membrane-impermeant, nuclear-specific green fluorescent DNA stain.
A cell membrane-impermeant, nuclear-specific green fluorescent DNA stain.
RedDot™2 Far-Red Nuclear Stain, 200X in DMSO
A far-red cell membrane-impermeant nuclear dye with greater nuclear specificity than Draq7™. Ideal for fixed cell nuclear counterstaining with minimal cytoplasmic RNA staining.
A far-red cell membrane-impermeant nuclear dye with greater nuclear specificity than Draq7™. Ideal for fixed cell nuclear counterstaining with minimal cytoplasmic RNA staining.
Ethidium Homodimer III (EthD-III)
A red fluorescent dead cell stain for bacteria and mammalian cells that is brighter than Ethidium Homodimer I.
A red fluorescent dead cell stain for bacteria and mammalian cells that is brighter than Ethidium Homodimer I.
Ethidium Homodimer III (EthD-III), 1 mM in DMSO
A red fluorescent dead cell stain for bacteria and mammalian cells
A red fluorescent dead cell stain for bacteria and mammalian cells
Oxazole Yellow (YO-PRO™-1), 1 mM in DMSO
Oxazole yellow, also know as YO-PRO-1, is a green-fluorescent, cell-impermeant nucleic acid stain that can be used as a early marker of apoptosis.
Oxazole yellow, also know as YO-PRO-1, is a green-fluorescent, cell-impermeant nucleic acid stain that can be used as a early marker of apoptosis.
Thiazole Red (TO-PRO®-3), 1 mM in DMSO
Thiazole red, also known as TO-PRO®-3, is a cell-impermeant, high-affinity far-red nucleic acid stain.
Thiazole red, also known as TO-PRO®-3, is a cell-impermeant, high-affinity far-red nucleic acid stain.
Thiazole Red Homodimer (TOTO®-3), 1 mM in DMSO
Thiazole red homodimer (TRhD), also know as TOTO®-3, is a cell-impermeant, high-affinity, far-red fluorogenic nucleic acid stain.
Thiazole red homodimer (TRhD), also know as TOTO®-3, is a cell-impermeant, high-affinity, far-red fluorogenic nucleic acid stain.
TO iodide (TO-PRO®-1), 1 mM in DMSO
TO iodide, also know as TO-PRO®-1, is a cell-impermeant, high-affinity carbocyanine monomeric nucleic acid stain that is essentially nonfluorescent in the absence of nucleic acids but exhibits green fluorescence when bound to nucleic acids.
TO iodide, also know as TO-PRO®-1, is a cell-impermeant, high-affinity carbocyanine monomeric nucleic acid stain that is essentially nonfluorescent in the absence of nucleic acids but exhibits green fluorescence when bound to nucleic acids.
Oxazole Blue (PO-PRO™-1), 1 mM in DMSO
Oxazole blue, also known as PO-PRO™-1, is a blue-fluorescent dead cell stain. This dye is a cell-impermeant nucleic acid stain with excitation/emission maxima of 435/455 nm when bound to nucleic acids.
Oxazole blue, also known as PO-PRO™-1, is a blue-fluorescent dead cell stain. This dye is a cell-impermeant nucleic acid stain with excitation/emission maxima of 435/455 nm when bound to nucleic acids.
7-AAD
7-AAD (7-aminoactinomycin D) is a membrane-impermeant fluorescent DNA binding dye that is useful for live/dead discrimination and cell cycle profiling by flow cytometry.
7-AAD (7-aminoactinomycin D) is a membrane-impermeant fluorescent DNA binding dye that is useful for live/dead discrimination and cell cycle profiling by flow cytometry.
NucSpot® Far-Red, 1000X in DMSO
An improved alternative to 7-AAD showing less bleed-through fluorescence in the PE-Texas Red® channel. Ideal for selective detection of dead cells by flow cytometry.
An improved alternative to 7-AAD showing less bleed-through fluorescence in the PE-Texas Red® channel. Ideal for selective detection of dead cells by flow cytometry.
Propidium Iodide (PI)
A membrane-impermeant nucleic acid intercalator. The dye is commonly used to selectively stain dead cells in a mixed live-dead population and also used as a counterstain in multicolor fluorescent assays.
A membrane-impermeant nucleic acid intercalator. The dye is commonly used to selectively stain dead cells in a mixed live-dead population and also used as a counterstain in multicolor fluorescent assays.