alamarBlue®

alamar blue calculator

Quantitative Measurements Using Colorimetry or Fluorescence

Description alamarBlue®  
Pack Size 25 ml 100 ml
Product Code BUF012A BUF012B

Simple Assay

alamarBlue® is designed to provide a rapid and sensitive measure of cell proliferation and cytotoxicity in various human and animal cell lines, bacteria and fungi. It is simple to use as the indicator dye is water soluble, thus eliminating the washing/fixing and extraction steps required in other commonly used cell proliferation assays.

The assay incorporates a specially selected oxidation-reduction (REDOX) indicator that both fluoresces and undergoes colorimetric change in response to cellular metabolic reduction. This offers the user a choice of detection method.

Unlike traditional radioactive labeling assays that measure cell growth, the REDOX indicator is non-toxic to cells, users and the environment. It also produces a clear, stable and distinct change, which is easy to interpret.

Worked Examples

  1. To determine optimum cell density and incubation time for a549 cells, using alamarBlue® and spectophotometry.
  2. To determine optimum cell density and incubation time for p388 cells, using alamarBlue® and spectophotometry.
  3. Notes to accompany the worked examples

Example Calculations

Example calculation 1
Example calculation 2
Example calculation 3
Example calculation 4
Example calculation 5

Product Principle

  • Growing cells cause a chemical reduction of alamarBlue®.
  • Continued growth maintains a reduced environment (fluorescent, red).
  • Inhibition of growth maintains an oxidized environment (non-fluorescent, blue).
  • Data may be collected using either fluorescence-based or absorbance-based instrumentation.
  • Fluorescence is monitored at 530-560 nm excitation wavelength and 590nm emission wavelength.
  • Absorbance is monitored at 570 nm and 600 nm.

Features and Benefits

Features Benefits
Fluorescent/colorimetric reaction Allows choice of detection method
Water soluble No extraction required
Works on suspended or attached cell lines   No centrifugation required
Fewer steps than traditional assays Time saving
Easily adaptable to automation Useful for high throughput testing
Stable Allows for continuous cell growth monitoring and kinetic studies over several days
Non-cytotoxic Minimal interference with normal metabolism
Non-radioactive Safe and easily disposable

Indications for Use

  • The bioassay can be used to establish proliferation or relative cytotoxicity.
  • Baseline data for predicting the toxicity of related novel agents can be compared to baseline data with known in vivo toxicity.
  • alamarBlue® is for use between pH6.8 and pH7.4.

alamarBlue® is manufactured for AbD Serotec by Trek Diagnostic System. U.S. patent 5,501,959.