viability assays

[Tony Travis]

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.
-- 
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