Propidium Iodide (PI)/RNase Staining Solution

Propidium Iodide (PI) is a fluorescent dye which intercalates between bases and stains both DNA and RNA. Specific DNA staining is achieved by enzymatic removal of RNA with a ribonuclease (RNase). PI/RNase is commonly used as a nuclear stain in fluorescent microscopy and as a DNA content determinant in cell cycle analyses by flow cytometry. Cells in G2 and M phases of the cell cycle contain twice the DNA content compared to those in G0 and G1 phases. DNA content during S phase lies between these extremes. PI/RNase Staining Solution has excitation and emission maxima of 535 and 617 nm, respectively (orange to red range of the spectrum). This staining solution can be used in tandem with antibodies without binding interference and is a suitable DNA stain for multiplex assays. (1-3) 1.Suzuki, T. et al. (1997) J Histochem Cytochem 45, 49-53. 2.Jones, K.H. and Kniss, D.A. (1987) J Histochem Cytochem 35, 123-5. 3.Deitch, A.D. et al. (1982) J Histochem Cytochem 30, 967-72.