ViabilityTests

ViabilityTests refers to procedures used to determine whether a material or system is alive, functional, or capable of growth or reproduction. The term spans life sciences, agriculture, medicine, and applied engineering, and is distinguished from measures of capacity or quality by focusing on current viability rather than final outcomes. In practice, viability testing informs decisions such as whether to continue culture, plant seeds, transplant tissue, or advance a concept to further development.

In biology and medicine, viability assays estimate the proportion of living cells or tissues. Common methods include dye exclusion (trypan blue), metabolic activity assays (MTT, XTT, MTS, WST-1), and fluorescence or luminescence assays that measure ATP or other viability markers. Flow cytometry with viability dyes is also used. Each method has tradeoffs in sensitivity, speed, and interference by compounds, and requires appropriate controls and standard curves. Viability testing for microorganisms can combine culture-based and molecular approaches to distinguish live from dead cells.

In agriculture and plant science, seed viability tests may use germination tests or tetrazolium chloride assays to differentiate viable tissue. In biotechnology and embryo culture, viability is assessed by imaging, biochemical markers, or responsiveness to culture conditions. In engineering and software, viability testing evaluates whether an idea or system can operate under expected conditions, often in feasibility or proof-of-concept studies. Limitations include artificial testing environments, sampling bias, and the need for context when extrapolating results to real-world use.