title: Interference of magnesium corrosion with tetrazolium-based cytotoxicity assays.
abstract: Magnesium (Mg) alloys are promising materials for the development of biodegradable implants. However, the current in vitro test procedures for cytotoxicity, cell viability and proliferation are not always suitable for this class of materials. In this paper we show that tetrazolium-salt-based assays, which are widely used in practice, are influenced by the corrosion products of Mg-based alloys. Corroded Mg converts tetrazolium salts to formazan, leading to a higher background and falsifying the results of cell viability. Tetrazolium-based assays are therefore not a useful tool for testing the cytotoxicity of Mg in static in vitro assays.
authors.affiliation: Department for Structural Research on Macromolecules, GKSS Research Centre, Institute of Materials Research, Max-Planck-Str 1, D-21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Marc H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Prosenc
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hort
authors.forename: Regine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willumeit
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feyerabend
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys / Q000494:pharmacology; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003343:Corrosion; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D008274:Magnesium