What is the purpose of Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide staining?

Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide staining is primarily used to detect apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in various cellular samples. This staining method takes advantage of the distinct properties of the two dyes: Acridine Orange can penetrate living cells and binds to DNA and RNA, fluorescing green, while Ethidium Bromide only penetrates cells with compromised membranes, such as dying or dead cells, where it binds to DNA and fluoresces red.

The combination of these two dyes allows for the differentiation between live, apoptotic, and necrotic cells based on their staining characteristics. Live cells will fluoresce green, indicating intact membranes and cellular viability, while cells undergoing apoptosis will show a mix of green and red fluorescence, and necrotic cells will predominantly appear red. This characteristic makes Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide staining a valuable technique for studying the dynamics of cell death and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions in various biological and medical research contexts.

While measuring metabolic activity, enhancing cellular growth, and visualizing cellular structures are important in cell biology, Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide staining is specifically tailored to elucidate cellular viability and the processes involved in apoptosis, making it a targeted and effective tool for this purpose.