Hoechst 33342 Solution

The Hoechst stains are a family of fluorescent stains for labeling DNA in fluorescence microscopy. The blue fluorescent Hoechst dye is a cell permeable nucleic acid stain that has multiple applications, including sensitive detection of DNA in the presence of RNA in agarose gels, automated DNA determination, sensitive determination of cell number and chromosome sorting. Useful vital stain for the flow cytometric recognition of DNA damage and other viability measurements by monitoring the emission spectral shifts of the dyes. Because this fluorescent stain labels DNA, it can also be used to visualize nuclei and mitochondria. Hoechst 33342 is a cell-permeable, benzimidazole dye that stains DNA by binding to the minor groove of adenine and thymine-rich sequences. It emits blue fluorescence (excitation 350 nm/emission maximum 461 nm) when bound to double stranded DNA and is useful as a marker of nuclei for cell cycle studies and to distinguish nuclear morphology in apoptotic cells.