MTT Assay

MTT assay is a measure of mitochondrial activity. My doubt is, can this method be applicable if cell toxicity has not affected the mitochondria. How sensitive is this method when a cell has entered the death pathway and still mitochondrial is functional?

That's why it is important to perform at least two types of toxicity assays on novel compounds. The assays must have different endpoints such as MTT (mitochondrial activity), LDH release (cell membrane integrity), and BrdU incorporation (DNA synthesis).

Can you expand on your death pathway idea? I am unfamiliar with that. It seems from the second post I should be doing multiple assays for apoptosis. Any light shed on this topic appreciated.

Rusty

we can say it is measure for mitochondrial mediated cell response. for your view poijnt if there are any report for effect of MTT on isolated mitochondria.

MTT method what is it? could u tell me ?

I agree that it is best to use more than one method to test cell viability.

  There is a reagent better than MTT called WST. This can be used to measure dehydrogenase activity through out the cell, no just the mitochondria. Dojindo produces a good WST assay called Cell Counting Kit-8 and also WST-1 powder. It is better to measure dehydrogenase from multiple sources rather than just from the mitochondria.

Thank you for your information!

Actually, I have used MTT for cell proliferation assay until recently and then switched to Cell Counting Kit-8 which was purchased from Dojindo. It was really easy-to-use and gave me a higher sensitivity.
Surprisingly, cells were alive after the assay.