VectaCell™ Trolox

VectaCell™ Trolox is an antifading additive for live cell imaging. It is a stock solution of the antioxidant Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) in filtered ethanol. Trolox is a water-soluble and cell-permeable analog of vitamin E, that efficiently prevents formation of different reactive oxygen species, such as singlet oxygen (1O2), superoxide anion (O2-) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). VectaCell™ Trolox contains both Trolox and its oxidized form Trolox-quinone. This redox system reduces photo-bleaching and blinking during live cell imaging. Trolox has been shown to have a cytoprotective effect and low cytotoxicity for different cell lines. Photo-excitation of a fluorophore generates reactive oxygen species that can lead to photo-bleaching as well as oxidative damage in cells. Although reduction of the light intensity usually decreases fading, it also reduces the sensitivity of the assay. Trolox has been used to reduce fluorophore bleaching1 as well as the fluorophore blinking2 during the observation of fluorescent labels. Although the mechanism is not completely understood it is attributed to the combination of its oxygen-scavenger capacity that prevents oxidative bleaching and the complementary reduction reaction that helps prevent blinking.

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