CyTRAK Orange in Live End-Point Imaging

In fluorescence-based microscopy, it is normal to preserve cells or tissue sections with formaldehyde or a similar fixative. However, there are certain problems associated with fixing, such as leakage, and suitability for studying drug-receptor interactions in cells, or other live-cell end-point assays. In this application note, it is shown how cell-impermeant DNA dyes are unusable as nuclear counterstains in such assays, but the orange fluorescing live-cell-permeant DNA probe CyTRAK orange provides clear nuclear counterstaining as a feasible alternative.