Neutral Red is a chemical substance that is commonly used as a pH indicator and biological stain. The IPA phonetic transcription of its spelling is /ˈn(j)uː.trəl red/, consisting of two syllables. The first syllable is pronounced with the "oo" sound as in "pool," and the second syllable is pronounced with a schwa sound. The word "Neutral" refers to its pH neutrality, while "Red" describes its color. Therefore, Neutral Red plays a vital role in biological and chemical experiments where pH changes and color changes are important parameters to observe.
Neutral red is a dye compound primarily used in biological and histological staining procedures. It is a weakly acidic, metachromatic red dye that can be used as both a vital stain and a pH indicator. Neutral red is available in both powder and solution form. Its chemical formula is C15H17N4Cl, and it belongs to the class of azo dyes.
When used as a histological stain, Neutral red can selectively stain acidic components such as nucleic acids, particularly RNA, in nucleated cells. It typically stains the cytoplasm and nucleus, making it useful in various studies that involve cell visualization and identification. The dye enters the cells through an energy-dependent mechanism, thus showing active metabolically active cells in distinct red staining.
Additionally, Neutral red is commonly used as a pH indicator due to its pH-sensitive properties. It changes color from red to yellow over a pH range of 6.8-8.0, making it useful in identifying acidic or alkaline substances in solution.
Overall, Neutral red serves numerous applications in biological research, microbiology, and histochemistry, particularly in staining living cells and tissues, and as an indicator of pH. Its versatile properties make it beneficial in various laboratory and scientific procedures.
The word "Neutral Red" is not derived from any specific etymological source. Instead, it is a compound term created by combining the words "neutral" and "red" to describe a specific red dye. "Neutral" refers to its property of not having a significant acidic or alkaline character, while "red" describes the color of the dye.