Propidium iodide

Structural formula
General
Surname	Propidium iodide
other names	PI
Molecular formula	C 27 H 34 I 2 N 4
Brief description	dark red, crystalline powder
External identifiers / databases
CAS number 25535-16-4 EC number 247-081-0 ECHA InfoCard 100,042,786 PubChem 53628239 ChemSpider 94732 Wikidata Q424169
properties
Molar mass	668.40 g mol −1
Physical state	firmly
Melting point	220-225 ° C
solubility	soluble in water
safety instructions
GHS labeling of hazardous substances Caution H and P phrases H: 315-319-335 P: 261-305 + 351 + 338
As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions .

Propidium iodide ( PI ) acts like ethidium bromide as a nucleic acid intercalator . The dye can penetrate the perforated cell membrane of dead cells, but not the intact membrane of living cells . This property is in flow cytometry for discrimination of cell viability used. Another flow cytometric application of PI is the measurement of the DNA content of cells. This is mainly used to analyze the cell cycle or to determine polyploidy .

Propidium iodide has an absorption maximum at 488  nm and an emission maximum at 590 nm. These maxima shift to 535 nm and 617 nm, respectively, when propidium iodide intercalates in DNA.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} data sheet propidium iodide (PDF) from Carl Roth , accessed on June 23, 2010.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Propidium iodide data sheet from Sigma-Aldrich , accessed on April 22, 2011 ( PDF ).
3. ↑ T. Hoppe: Studies on the developmental physiology and molecular phylogenetics of selected representatives of the myxomycetes and euglenids capable of photosynthesis (organism kingdom Protoctista) , p. 32, Kassel University Press, Kassel, 2010, ISBN 3-89958-808-8 .