Q: Can this assay be used with collagen I coated plates?
A: It is fine to culture cells on any type of plate with the CBA-240 assay. Culturing cells on collagen-I will not affect the assay.
Q: Can this assay be used with bacterial cells?
A: Our Cell Viability and Cytotoxicity Assay (CBA-240) uses MTT and Calcein AM to detect living cells. The MTT reagent can be used with most eukaryotic cells, however it cannot be used with bacterial or yeast cells. Calcein AM can be used to measure viability in bacterial cells but it will require access to a fluorescence microscope or plate reader.
Q: What is the purpose of using Saponin?
A: This cell viability assay uses MTT and Calcein AM to visualize live cells and EthD-1 to visualize the nuclei of dead cells. Saponin is an optional positive control that will instantly kill all cells. It works by breaking open the membrane, causing cells to detach and round up, similar to what you would expect when lysing cells.
Q: Will this assay work with my cell line?
A: This cell viability assay uses MTT and Calcein AM to visualize live cells and EthD-1 to visualize the nuclei of dead cells. These cell viability and cytotoxicity detection reagents are NOT cell type specific and will work with any mammalian cells.