Trypan Blue is a commonly used dye in biomedical research. It is spelled as /ˈtrʌɪpən bluː/, with stress on the first syllable. The initial "t" is pronounced as a voiceless alveolar plosive, followed by the "r" sound, which is made by a retroflex approximant. The first "a" is short and pronounced as a schwa sound, while the second "a" is pronounced as a long "a" sound. The "y" is pronounced as a short "i" sound, followed by a voiced bilabial plosive. Lastly, "blue" is pronounced as a long "u" sound.
Trypan Blue is a synthetic dye commonly used in biological and laboratory settings. It is derived from benzene and belongs to the triarylmethane class of dyes. This deep blue compound is water-soluble and has the ability to selectively stain dead cells or tissues.
Trypan Blue is primarily employed in cell culture procedures for the identification and quantification of viable cells. It acts as a vital stain that differentiates living cells from dead ones by selectively penetrating the cell membrane of non-viable cells. The dye works by binding to nucleic acids in the cytoplasm and nucleus of dead cells, imparting a blue color to them. As a result, viable cells remain unstained, exhibiting a clear or transparent appearance. This staining technique is particularly useful for evaluating cell viability during cell counting, cell sorting, and differentiating living and dead sperm cells.
Moreover, Trypan Blue is also used in microbiology for measuring cell concentration using a hemocytometer and determining microbial motility. In clinical medicine, it has been utilized for assessing the viability and health status of cells or tissues, such as assessing the viability of corneal endothelial cells in transplant procedures.
Although Trypan Blue is generally considered non-toxic to mammalian cells, caution should be exercised to prevent direct contact with skin and eyes as it may cause irritation. It is typically utilized under sterile conditions and disposed of appropriately according to laboratory guidelines.
The word "Trypan" in Trypan Blue is derived from the genus name of a group of parasitic protozoans, Trypanosoma. The name Trypanosoma itself originated from the Greek words "trypanon", meaning "borer" or "awl", and "soma", meaning "body". The parasites belonging to the Trypanosoma genus are known to cause diseases such as African trypanosomiasis (also known as sleeping sickness).
The term "Blue" in Trypan Blue refers to the deep blue color of the dye. Dyes are often named based on their prominent color appearance.