tetrazoliumsalter

Tetrazolium salts are a group of organic compounds characterized by a tetrazole ring. They are commonly used in biological research as redox indicators, particularly for assessing cellular metabolic activity. In their oxidized form, tetrazolium salts are typically colorless or pale yellow and soluble in water. However, when they are reduced by enzymes involved in cellular respiration, such as dehydrogenases, they form intensely colored, water-insoluble formazan products.

The most widely used tetrazolium salts include MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium), WST-1 (4-[3-(4-iodophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]-1,3-benzene disulfonate), and XTT (2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide). These reagents are often employed in cell viability assays, cytotoxicity studies, and drug screening. The intensity of the formazan color produced is directly proportional to the number of metabolically active cells present in a sample. This colorimetric change can be measured using a spectrophotometer at a specific wavelength. The choice of tetrazolium salt can depend on factors such as solubility, the specific cellular environment, and the desired sensitivity of the assay.