Reagents Cellstobestudiedexpressinggreenfluorescentprotein(GFP).NotethatthesamecelltypewithoutGFPisneededascontrol. Hoechst33342stocksolution(1mg/ml)(seerecipe) 12X75mmculturetubes Vortexmixer Waterbathat37oC Method 1.Countcells. 2.Placeapproximately106cellsintoa12x15mmtesttubeandspinthemdownbycentrifugationfor5minat300xg. 3.Removesupernatantbyaspirationorrapiddecantingandadd500mlofthemediumthatwasusedforgrowingthecellstobestudiedpre-warmedto37oCtothecellpellet.Mixgently.Add5mlofHoechst33342stocksolutionandmixagain.Incubateat37oCfor45min. TheoptimalHoechstdyeconcentrationandstainingtimefordifferentcelltypesvaryasdyeup-takedependsoncellularmetabolicrates;thus,bothhavetobedeterminedempirically.Ingeneral,dyeconcentrationsbetween1mg/mland10mg/mlandincubationtimesbetween20minand90minwillproduceDNAhistogramswithacceptablecoefficientsofvariation.BecauseHoechstDNAstainingisperformedonunfixedcells,itispossIBLetouseothernon-vitalDNAdyes,e.g.,PI,7-aminoactinomycinD(7-AAD),forconcurrentdeadcelldiscrimination. PreparationofHoechst33342stocksolution: Dissolve1mgofHoechst33342powder(Molecularprobes,Eugene,OR)in1mlofdistilledwater.Storeat2-8oCprotectedfromlightforupto1month.