ViaFluor™ Live Cell Microtubule Stains are cell-permeable taxol probes for imaging the microtubule cytoskeleton in live cells.  They are simple, rapid and sensitive stains that can be imaged without a wash step. ViaFluor™ 488 Microtubule Stain has green fluorescence (Ex/Em 500/515 nm) for imaging in the FITC channel. ViaFluor™ 647 Microtubule Stain has far-red fluorescence (Ex/Em ~650/~675 nm) for imaging in the Cy®5 channel, and is compatible with super-resolution imaging by SIM or STED.

Taxol binds to polymerized tubulin and stabilizes microtubules, resulting in inhibition of inhibition of mitosis. However, fluorescent taxol compounds like ViaFluor™ 647 are less disruptive of microtubule dynamics and cell division, presumably due to lower binding affinity of the fluorescent probe compared to taxol itself. ViaFluor™ 647 does not show cytotoxicity with up to 24 hours of exposure in immortalized cell types. ViaFluor™ Live Cell Microtubule Stains cannot be fixed after staining, and cannot be used with fixed cells or tissues.

ViaFluor™ Microtubule Stains are supplied as a 1000X stock solutions in DMSO. They come with a vial of 100 mM verapamil, an efflux pump inhibitor that may improve probe retention and staining in certain cell types. Note that this is a higher concentration than previously supplied with the stains, to allow for the use of higher verapamil concentrations (10-100 uM). The optimal concentration of verapamil may vary between cell types.

Learn more about our other fluorescent cell stains.

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