Overview
Propidium Iodide (PI) is a red-fluorescent cell viability dye which is excluded from live cells with intact membranes, but penetrates dead or damaged cells and binds to DNA and RNA by intercalating between the bases. It is widely used as a counterstain to differentiate and exclude non-viable cells in flow cytometric analyses, and can be excited using blue (488 nm), green (532 nm), or yellow-green (561 nm) laser lines, with detection in the FL2 or FL3 channels. PI is used in DNA fluorescence imaging applications to discriminate early and late stages of apoptosis, to study cell‐mediated cytotoxicity, and for chromosome analysis. It is also commonly used in quantitative DNA assays.
Application:
Flow Cytometry
Area of Interest:
Neuroscience; Immunology; Stem Cell Biology
Chemical Formula:
C₂₇H₃₄N₄ · 2I
Molecular Weight:
668.4 g/mol
Scientific Resources
Product Documentation
Document Type
Product Name
Catalog #
Lot #
Language
Educational Materials
(1)Product Applications
This product is designed for use in the following research area(s) as part of the highlighted workflow stage(s). Explore these workflows to learn more about the other products we offer to support each research area.
Research Area
Workflow Stages for
Workflow Stages
Data and Publications
Data

Figure 1. (A) Flow cytometry analysis of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) labeled with Propidium Iodide
(B) Chemical structure of Propidium Iodide.
PRODUCTS ARE FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY AND NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL DIAGNOSTIC OR THERAPEUTIC USES UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON QUALITY AT STEMCELL, REFER TO WWW.STEMCELL.COM/COMPLIANCE.