Cell Meter™ Live Cell ATP Assay Kit

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) plays a fundamental role in cellular energetics, metabolic regulation and cellular signaling. It is referred as the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer to drive many biological processes and chemical synthesis in living cells. ATP also serves as a signaling molecule for cell communication and plays an important role in DNA and RNA synthesis. It is localized in mitochondria, where cellular respiration occurs. ATP levels can be used to measure cell proliferation and cell cycle dynamics. AAT Bioquest offers a variety of bioluminescence, fluorescence and colorimetric assay kits to determine ATP level in solutions. Cell Meter™ Live Cell ATP Assay Kit enables researchers to monitor ATP levels in live cells using ATP Red™, a cell-permeable red fluorescent imaging probe for detecting ATP. ATP Red™ is designed to monitor ATP concentrations in the mitochondria of living cells. The probe has minimal cross reactivity to AMP, ADP, CMP, CDP, CTP, UMP, UDP, UTP, GMP, GDP or GTP.

Example protocol

AT A GLANCE

Protocol summary

Prepare cells in growth medium
Incubate cells with ATP Red™ working solution at 37 °C for 15-30 minutes
Remove ATP Red™ working solution
Analyze with a fluorescence microscope using a Cy3/TRITC filter set

CELL PREPARATION

For adherent cells

Plate cells overnight in growth medium at 10,000 to 40,000 cells/well/90 μL for a 96-well plate or 2,500 to 10,000 cells/well/20 μL for a 384-well plate.

For non-adherent cells

Centrifuge the cells from the culture medium and suspend the cell pellets in culture medium at 50,000-100,000 cells/well/90 µL for a 96-well poly-D lysine plate or 10,000-25,000 cells/well/20 µL for a 384- well poly-D lysine plate. Centrifuge the plate at 800 rpm for 2 minutes with brake off prior to your experiment.
Note Each cell line should be evaluated on an individual basis to determine the optimal cell density.

PREPARATION OF STOCK SOLUTIONS

Unless otherwise noted, all unused stock solutions should be divided into single-use aliquots and stored at -20 °C after preparation. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

ATP Red™ stock solution (500X)

Add 50 µL of DMSO (Component C) into the vial of ATP Red™ (Component A) to make a 500X stock solution.
Note 50 µL of the 500X ATP Red™ stock solution is enough for one 96-well plate. The unused ATP Red™ stock solution can be aliquoted and stored at ≤ -20 °C in smaller aliquots. Protect from light and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

PREPARATION OF WORKING SOLUTION

ATP Red™ working solution

Add 5 µL of the 500X stock solution (Component A) into 1 mL cell culture medium, and mix well.
Note The ATP Red™ probe is compatible with cell culture media of most cell lines we tested. The staining conditions may be modified according to the particular cell type.

SAMPLE EXPERIMENTAL PROTOCOL

Stain cells

Prepare cells in growth medium.
Add equal volume [100 µL/well (96-well plate) or 25 µL/well (384-well plate)] of ATP Red™ working solution in the cell plate.
Note The optimal concentration of ATP Red™ varies depending on the specific application.
Incubate the cells at 37 °C for 15-30 minutes, protected from light.
Remove working solution from each well. Wash cells with Assay Buffer (Component B) or buffer of your choice twice.
Observe the fluorescence signal in cells using a fluorescence microscope with a Cy3/TRITC filter set.

Citations

View all 1 citations: Citation Explorer

Hybrid near-infrared-activated luminescent gold nanoparticle platform for efficient cancer therapy
Authors: Yan, Feihong and Li, Ruiyuan and Liu, Jiaxin and Yang, Lulu and Liu, Helin and Zhu, Shengcang and Zhang, Yuhui and Wang, Lijun and Huang, Lu and Wang, Yu and others,
Journal: Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials (2025): 173

References

View all 50 references: Citation Explorer

Mitochondrial C3a Receptor Activation in Oxidatively Stressed Epithelial Cells Reduces Mitochondrial Respiration and Metabolism.
Authors: Ishii, Masaaki and Beeson, Gyda and Beeson, Craig and Rohrer, Bärbel
Journal: Frontiers in immunology (2021): 628062

Metabolic co-dependence of the oocyte and cumulus cells: essential role in determining oocyte developmental competence.
Authors: Richani, Dulama and Dunning, Kylie R and Thompson, Jeremy G and Gilchrist, Robert B
Journal: Human reproduction update (2021): 27-47

Platinum-Based Drugs Cause Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Cultured Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons.
Authors: Leo, Markus and Schmitt, Linda-Isabell and Küsterarent, Patricia and Kutritz, Andrea and Rassaf, Tienush and Kleinschnitz, Christoph and Hendgen-Cotta, Ulrike B and Hagenacker, Tim
Journal: International journal of molecular sciences (2020)

Heat stress induces apoptosis through disruption of dynamic mitochondrial networks in dairy cow mammary epithelial cells.
Authors: Chen, Kun-Lin and Wang, Hui-Li and Jiang, Lin-Zheng and Qian, Yong and Yang, Cai-Xia and Chang, Wei-Wei and Zhong, Ji-Feng and Xing, Guang-Dong
Journal: In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal (2020): 322-331

Engineering a Reversible Fluorescent Probe for Real-Time Live-Cell Imaging and Quantification of Mitochondrial ATP.
Authors: Ren, Tian-Bing and Wen, Si-Yu and Wang, Lu and Lu, Peng and Xiong, Bin and Yuan, Lin and Zhang, Xiao-Bing
Journal: Analytical chemistry (2020): 4681-4688

Page updated on April 25, 2025

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