cytotoxicity and cell proliferation assay - preference of dyes for cell viability (Feb/07/2006 )

I have a basic doubt for animal cell cytotoxicity and proliferation assays.

Usually cyotoxicity study is perfomed using Neutral red uptake assay while cell proliferation study is done by MTT assay. Cell viability can be checked by both neutral red and MTT. Still there is prepference for one dye over the other depending on purpose. Why is it so?

Can we use neutral red for proliferation study and MTT for cytotoxicity study? Is there any specific reason for the choice of one dye over the other?

Hi,

I never used Neutral red assays, but MTT for proliferation and IC50 determination. But in case of proliferation assays, I confirm MTT results by 3H-thymidin uptake to be really sure that it is not only a lower metabolic state of the cells.

timpetu

can anyone tell me among the various available MTT assay kit which one is better especially for low cell numbers.