Overview of Cell Viability and Cell Viability Assays
The viability of a cell or population of cells is an overall measure of the health of the cells. Viability assays are designed to assess the physical and metabolic state of the cell in order to determine the impact of treatment or culture conditions on cellular homeostasis.
The critical link between cellular health and disease underscores the necessity for assays that can measure cell viability in different experimental contexts and model systems.
How to Measure Cell Viability
Cell viability is measured using a variety of techniques and experimental platforms. Some techniques, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based viability assays, utilize spectral-based microplate readers for analysis. Other commonly used assays employ immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, or western blotting as a readout.
Cell viability vs cell proliferation assays:
- Cell viability assays - measure indicators of cell health, such as plasma membrane permeability, cellular metabolic activity, and levels of ATP.
- Cell proliferation assays - measure the quantity of viable cells through analysis of DNA content, DNA synthesis, or the expression of proteins required for cell division.
Cell Viability Assays
Multiple techniques are used for measuring cell viability. To confirm experimental outcomes, multiple independent assays should be performed. Techniques for analyzing cell viability include:
Assay
What is Measured
Measure mitochondrial activity in viable cells.
Assay
7-AAD/CFSE Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity Assay Kit
What is Measured
Cell viability dyes are used to monitor dye uptake into nonviable cells; the dyes are excluded from entering viable cells.
Assay
Phospho-histone H3 (western blot)
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)
Ki-67 (IHC)
What is Measured
Measure expression levels of proteins required for (or involved in) cell division.
