Martin Hughes (Bioc) (mjgh at uk.ac.cam.bio.mbfs) wrote:
: >In article <26lcir$n6j at bigboote.WPI.EDU> eeyore at wpi.WPI.EDU ( eeYORE ) writes:
: >>Subject: viability assays
: >
: [about wanting a viability assay for roots
: >>I have tried FDA (fluorescein diacetate) stain, but this is not quantitative
: >>or reliable for plant tissue. Anyone have any ideas or experience?
: >> Melissa
: I would also like to add a request. I have been using FDA to assay
: for viability in protoplasts, which is a "normal" recomended method.
: I am trying (as a control) to kill off protoplasts. Unfortunately,
: follwing a "death" treatment (30 min in 0.1% NaAzide, or 0.3% KCyanide)-
: which I imagine should be pretty fatal to the cells, the FDA stain
: still shows positive (this is also the case with even higher toxin
: levels). Any suggestions for a more sensitive method of viability
: staining would be appreciated.
I used 'neutral red' which is accumulated in the vacuoles of living
cells with a characteristic red colour. It stains dead cells orange.
I used it to monitor the selective destruction of epidermal and
subsidiary cells by low-pH treatment of epidermis from Commelina
communis.
Tony.
--
Dr. A.J.Travis, | JANET: <ajt at uk.ac.sari.rri>
Rowett Research Institute, | other: <ajt at rri.sari.ac.uk>
Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, | phone: +44 (0)224 712751
Aberdeen, AB2 9SB. UK. | fax: +44 (0)224 715349
