Ian,

I must have missed the original post but from Paul Millikan's response, I
thought the following reference might be useful.

"Neutral Red Assay Modification to Prevent Cytotoxicity and Improve
Reproducibility Using E-63 Rat Skeletal Muscle Cells."  Hall, JO,
Novakofski, JE and Beasley, VR.  Biotechnic and Histochemistry Vol 73 No 4.
pp 211-221.

I am using this on a cell culture project I have just started.  Basically
you use Neutral Red from Sigma and use a microplate reader or
spectrophotometer at 640 nm to compare dye uptake.

If you want a copy of the article let me know and I'll send one to you.

Jane

At 09:30 AM 11/30/1998 -0600, you wrote:
>Ian (by way of Histonet) wrote:
>>
>> Is anyone aware of an intracellular marker that is ingested (or absorbed) or
>> somehow gets into cells in culture media? This marker needs to be detectable
>> with light microscopy. I know of fluorescein labels but I can't use
>> fluorescence microscopy because of the high collgen content of the substrate
>> the cells are being seeded onto. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Ian
>> Birchall.
>
>
>Have not tested it in cell culture, but toluidine blue makes a great
>supravital stain for blood and other body fluids.  See Millikin, PD, "A
>Supravital Stain for Nucleoli in Human Lymphocytes,"  American Journal of
>Clinical Pathology, 1974:62;520-24.
>

M. Jane Chambers, MS, LAT
Research Technician
USDA/ARS
Poisonous Plant Research Lab
1150 East 1400 North
Logan, UT  84341
Phone:  (435) 752-2941
FAX:  (435) 753-5681
jane@cc.usu.edu