Process / pipelineFluorescence-based viability assay

Live/Dead Assay

The Live/Dead assay is a fluorescence-based method for simultaneously identifying live and dead cells using two complementary dyes. The assay combines calcein-AM (or SYTO fluorophores), which generates bright green fluorescence in living cells with intact esterase activity, with propidium iodide (PI), which produces red fluorescence in dead cells with compromised membrane integrity. Commercially developed by Molecular Probes and now part of Thermo Fisher's portfolio, the Live/Dead kit is widely used to evaluate cell viability on biomaterial scaffolds, in tissue constructs, and following drug or toxin exposure.

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Sources

  1. Molecular Probes (2004). LIVE/DEAD Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit user guide. Invitrogen Corporation. link
  2. Niles, A. L., Moravec, R. A., & Riss, T. L. (2009). In vitro viability and cytotoxicity testing and same-well multiplexing assays for adherent cells. Current Chemical Genomics, 3, 33-43. DOI: 10.2174/1875397300903010033
  3. Riss, T. L., Moravec, R. A., Niles, A. L., et al. (2011). Cell viability assays. In Assay Guidance Manual (3rd ed.). Eli Lilly & Company and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. link

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Referenced by

ScholarGateLive/Dead Assay (Live/Dead Cell Viability Fluorescence Assay). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/biomaterials/live-dead-assay