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AAT Bioquest

What are the limitations of acridine orange stain?

Posted March 12, 2024


Answer

Acridine orange is a cell-permeable, nucleic acid selective fluorescent dye. 

Limitations of acridine orange stain include: 

  • Must be performed on unfixed tissue and examined quickly
  • Cannot be used for multiple labeling
  • Is non-specific and does not differentiate between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria 
  • Staining of cellular nuclei makes it difficult to visualize intracellular organisms
  • Its sensitivity is approximately 104 bacteria/ml
Additional resources

Using the vital dye acridine orange to detect dying cells in Drosophila

Fluorescence Microscopy

Flow Cytometry Reagents

Acridine orange *10 mg/mL solution in water*