title: The MTT-assay as a rapid test for cell proliferation and cell killing: application to human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL).
abstract: The possibility to use the colorimetric MTT assay for measuring proliferation and cell death of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was studied. In a range from 100,000-800,000 cells/well a linear correlation between the optical signal (OD signal at 570 nm) and the cell number was found. It is necessary to incubate the cells with the MTT at least 2 hours. After stimulation by different PHA concentrations a very good correlation between [3H] thymidine incorporation and MTT assay was found. A comparison of daunomycin cytotoxicity, measurement by trypan blue exclusion and MTT assay, gave also a good correlation between both methods. It can be pronounced that the MTT assay is a suitable method to measure cell proliferation and cell death of human PBL. The assay is easy to handle, a large number of probes can be assayed in a relatively short time and no radioactivity is necessary. For the measurement of the colored product a common ELISA reader can be used.
authors.affiliation: University Leipzig, Section of Biosciences, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weichert
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blechschmidt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ambrosius
mesh_terms: D016923:Cell Death; D002455:Cell Division; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008722:Methods; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C022616:thiazolyl blue