DiD' solid; DiIC18(5) solid (1,1'-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-Tetramethylindodicarbocyanine, 4-Chlorobenzenesulfonate Salt) - FAQs

View additional product information for DiD' solid; DiIC18(5) solid (1,1'-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-Tetramethylindodicarbocyanine, 4-Chlorobenzenesulfonate Salt) - FAQs (D7757)

10 product FAQs found

I'm labeling live cells with Vybrant DiI or DiD lipophilic cyanine dyes. DiI gives a nice even membrane labeling, but DiD is more "spotty". What can be done?

This is expected. DiD (which is far-red fluorescent) is never as uniform as DiI (which is orange fluorescent). If uniformity is desired, try increasing the label time and concentration, but it still isn't likely to be as uniform as DiI. CellMask Deep Red Plasma Membrane stain is much more uniform and is about the same wavelength as DiD. However, if you intend to do cell tracking over days, CellMask stain has not been tried for that application.

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I want to perform a cell fusion assay, where one cell line is labeled with one color and the other cell line with another color, and combine with a nucleic acid stain. What do you recommend?

A typical method is to label one cell line with orange fluorescent DiI C18 and the other cell line with green fluorescent DiO C18. These orange and green lipophilic cyanine dyes will stain the membranes of cells. Cells that fuse will then have both dyes, yielding a yellow color (when images are overlaid or cells are imaged in a dual-bandpass filter). These live cells can then be labeled with Hoechst 33342 (a cell-permeant blue DNA stain comparable in wavelength to DAPI), but only as an endpoint just before imaging (since DNA stains can interrupt DNA function).

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I need to look at live cell morphology deformation over the course of a few hours. What sort of membrane dye would be useful for this?

Lipophilic cyanine dyes, such as DiI (Cat. No. D282), DiO (Cat. No. D275), DiD (Cat. No. D7757) or DiR (Cat. No. D12731), are commonly used. The longer the alkyl chain on the dye, the better the retention in lipophilic environments.

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Why do I lose all signal from my neuronal tracer when I do a methanol fixation on my cells?

If the tracer you chose is a lipophilic dye and fix with methanol, the lipids are lost with the methanol. If you have to use methanol fixation then choose a tracer that will covalently bind to proteins in the neurons.

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I stained my cells with a lipophilic cyanine dye, like DiI, but the signal was lost when I tried to follow up with antibody labeling. Why?

Since these dyes insert into lipid membranes, any disruption of the membranes leads to loss of the dye. This includes permeabilization with detergents like Triton X-100 or organic solvents like methanol. Permeabilization is necessary for intracellular antibody labeling, leading to loss of the dye. Instead, a reactive dye such as CFDA SE should be used to allow for covalent attachment to cellular components, thus providing for better retention upon fixation and permeabilization.

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I labeled my neurons with DiI and then fixed and permeabilized and now I have no signal. What did I do wrong?

DiI is a lipophilic dye that resides mostly in lipids in the cell, when cells are permeabilized with detergent or fixed using alcohol this strips away the lipid and the dye. If permeabilization is required CM-DiI can be used because this binds covalently to proteins in the membrane; some signal is lost upon fixation/permeabilization, but enough signal should be retained to make detection possible.

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How do I know which tracer to choose for my experiment?

Factors to consider are size of tracer, method of delivery (injection, direct application to tissue, etc.), and if the tracer needs to be fixable. Here are some links to details about the various classes of neuronal tracers we offer and how to choose between them:

Neuronal Tracing (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cell-tracing-tracking-and-morphology/neuronal-tracing.html)
Choosing a Tracer (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/references/molecular-probes-the-handbook/fluorescent-tracers-of-cell-morphology-and-fluid-flow/choosing-a-tracer.html)
Imaging Analysis (http://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/BID/Reference-Materials/bioprobes-50-journal.pdf)

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Is there a way to label individual neurons without microinjecting?

The solid and crystalline forms of DiI and other related dyes (Cat. Nos. D282, D3911, D7757, and D12731) are sometimes placed in contact with a specific neuron where it will travel down the cell by lateral diffusion via the membrane. Alternatively, our NeuroTrace Tissue Labeling Paste can be scooped onto a needle and placed onto particular neurons.

Please see the information below for a comparison of our neuronal cell labeling methods:
Product:Method of labeling: Labeling intensity: Features
Neuron-specific antibodies: Primary antibodies directed to proteins expressed in neuronal cells: Proportional to the amount of protein expressed: Provides the only neuronal specific labeling method
Lipophilic neuronal ytracers: Hydrophobic dyes are incorporated into lipids in the cell: This labeling method provides the most intense labeling becuase of the abundant amount of lipids: Allows tracing of neurons throughout the sample
Membrane potential indicators: Dyes are loaded into live cells in aqueous buffers: Depends on either changes in structures due to the electrical field they are in, or dye influx due to depolarization: Changes in membrane potential play a central role in physiological processes, including nerve-impulse propagation, muscle contraction, and cell signaling

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What products do you have for neuronal tracing?

Please check out this web page (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cell-tracing-tracking-and-morphology/neuronal-tracing.html) for details.

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I want to label the plasma membrane of my cells, but there are several dyes to choose from. Which one should I use?

For live-cell imaging, the CellVue and CellMask Plasma Membrane Stains are the most uniform and the slowest to be endocytosed. However, they are not the best choice if you wish to fix and permeabilize your cells, such as for antibody labeling. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugates are also able to label live cells, or can label already formaldehyde-fixed cells. They can survive subsequent permeabilization with detergents, such as Triton X-100. If cells are already permeabilized, WGA will label internal structures as well. Thus, only an antibody against a plasma membrane protein can be used if cells are already permeabilized. Lipophilic cyanine dyes, such as DiI, will label all cell membranes in live cells, not just plasma membranes, if left on live cells for extended periods. Following page will help you choose (http://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cell-structure/plasma-membrane.html).

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Cell Analysis Support Center.