Cell Counting Kit-8

Cell Counting Kit-8 is an assay containing the water tetrazolium salt 8 (2-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodium salt). This tetrazolium salt is bioreduced by the electron carrier, 1-Methoxy PMS to form a water-soluble orange colored formazan dye. Cell Counting Kit-8 is a colorimetric assay that can be used for determining the number of viable cells in cell growth and cytotoxicity assays. The number of living cells can be easily calculated from amount of formazan produced. The formazan dye forms on the outside of the cell, making it more sensitive than assays using standard tetrazolium salts such as MTT, XTT, MTS, as well as being non-toxic to cells.

References

• Ishiyama, M.; Miyasono, Y. & Shiga, M. et al. (1996), , p. 515
• Ishiyama, M.; Tominaga, H. & Shiga, M. et al. (1995), , p. 187