Using the ImagestreamX? Here's a new counterstaining option

Are you using the Imagestream®x (ISX) imaging flow cytometer from Merck?
If you are, then you will probably have used DRAQ5™ at some point in your research work!

There are more than 300 publications citing use of DRAQ5™ on Imagestream 100 and x platforms.

Why..?

• DRAQ5™ gives clean nuclear labeling - enabling compartment segmentation, morphometrics, study of translocations, cell-cell interactions, micronuclei detection, and many more as well as an obvious trigger for nucleated cells and setting best focusing.
• DRAQ5™ can be used on intact (or fixed) cells - it rapidly labels nuclear DNA without permeabilisation or fixation.  This is fantastic if you're trying to measure GFP, taking away the worry that fixation kills GFP fluorescence or leakage out of the cell. (See a recent example.)
• DRAQ5™ is far-red fluorescing - it can be used in combination with a wide range of chromophores and viability and functional dyes.

The typical concentration range is 1-5 µM, with exceptions for special applications such as micronucleus detection requiring higher amounts to achieve the stoichiometry needed.

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Q. BUT what if a cell feature needs a chromophore in the channel you detect DRAQ5™?

A. Switch to CyTRAK Orange™!

• CyTRAK Orange™ is a closely related chemical relative of DRAQ5™. 
• CyTRAK Orange™ is cell permeant and labels the nucleus (like DRAQ5™) but it is optimally excited at 515 nm and can be detected in ISX's channel 4 (595-660 nm).  
• CyTRAK Orange™ is NOT excited by the red laser line.
• CyTRAK Orange™ doesn't have spectral overlap with GFP. 

The spectra below show where CyTRAK Orange™ is situated compared to selected relevant chromophores, including eGFP.

We suggest a working concentration of 3-10 µM for most applications.

Note: CyTRAK Orange™ can be combined with DRAQ7™ for a convenient live/dead combination as used by Pieper et al. Cytometry Part A 2016.

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Searchlight™is provided courtesy of Semrock/IDEX Health & Science, LLC
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