Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Mammalian Cell Viability pp 13–19Cite as

Estimation of Cell Number Based on Metabolic Activity: The MTT Reduction Assay

  • Protocol
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 740))

Abstract

The MTT reduction assay is used to determine the level of metabolic activity in eukaryotic cells, ­including animal, plant, and fungal cells. If the metabolic rate is constant, the technique can be employed to count living cells in a sample. Once it is set up, the method is very robust, and can be automatized to be applied on a large number of samples.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Protocol
USD   49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Springer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more

References

  1. E. H. Smail, B. N. Cronstein, T. Meshulam, A. L. Esposito, R. W. Ruggeri, and R. D. Diamond. (1992) In vitro, candida albicans releases the immune modulator adenosine and a second, high-molecular weight agent that blocks neutrophil killing. J Immunol, 148(11):3588–3595

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ernest Kun and L. G. Abood. (1949) Colorimetric estimation of succinic dehydrogenase by triphenyltetrazolium chloride.kuhn. Science, 109(2824):144–146

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. M. Nachlas, S. I. Margulies, and A. M. Seligman. (1960) Sites of electron transfer to tetrazolium salts in the succinoxidase system. J Biol Chem, 235:2739–2743

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. T. Mosmann. (1983) Rapid colorimetric assay for cellular growth and survival: application to proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. J Immunol Methods, 65(1–2):55–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. M. V. Berridge and A. S. Tan. (1993) Characterization of the cellular reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (mtt): subcellular localization, substrate dependence, and involvement of mitochondrial electron transport in mtt reduction. Arch Biochem Biophys, 303(2):474–482

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Michael V. Berridge, An S. Tan, Kathy D. McCoy, and Rui Wang. (1996) The biochemical and cellular basis of cell proliferation assays that use tetrazolium salts. Biochemica, 4:14–19

    Google Scholar 

  7. Tytus Bernas and Jurek Dobrucki. (2002) Mitochondrial and nonmitochondrial reduction of mtt: interaction of mtt with tmre, jc-1, and nao mitochondrial fluorescent probes. Cytometry, 47(4):236–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. T. F. Slater, B. Sawyer, and U. Straeuli. (1963) Studies on succinate-tetrazolium reductase -systems. iii. points of coupling of four -different tetrazolium salts. Biochim Biophys Acta, 77:383–393

    Google Scholar 

  9. H. Tada, O. Shiho, K. Kuroshima, M. Koyama, and K. Tsukamoto. (1986) An improved -colorimetric assay for interleukin 2. J Immunol Methods, 93(2):157–165

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. S. A. Jabbar, P. R. Twentyman, and J. V. Watson. (1989) The mtt assay underestimates the growth inhibitory effects of interferons. Br J Cancer, 60(4):523–528

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics Unit, Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, QC, Canada

    László Kupcsik

Authors
  1. László Kupcsik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to László Kupcsik .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. AO Research Institute, Clavadelerstrasse 8, Davos Platz, 7270, Switzerland

    Martin J. Stoddart

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Kupcsik, L. (2011). Estimation of Cell Number Based on Metabolic Activity: The MTT Reduction Assay. In: Stoddart, M. (eds) Mammalian Cell Viability. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 740. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-108-6_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-108-6_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-107-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-108-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation