Cell Viability Testing with Trypan Blue Exclusion
The trypan blue dye exclusion test is used to determine the number of viable cells present in a cell suspension. It is based on the principle that viable cells with intact cell membranes are impermeable to polar dyes, such as trypan blue, whereas in dead cells with porous membranes, trypan blue can readily penetrate and stain the cytoplasm blue. Upon analysis by light microscope, the number of stained cells can be examined against the total cell population. The number of stained cells will represent the percentage of dead cells in the entire population.
The following procedure will enable you to accurately determine cell viability in a cell suspension.
To calculate the number of viable cells per mL of culture take the average values of the cell counts for each of the 16 corner squares, and use the following formula:
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