99077-15-3

Basic information

• Product Name: 5-Hexyl-2,3-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride
• Synonyms: 5-Hexyl-2,3-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride
• CAS NO: 99077-15-3
• Molecular Formula: C₁₉H₂₃N₄*Cl
• Molecular Weight: 344.8816
• Mol File: 99077-15-3.mol
• Article Data: 1

Chemical Properties

• Appearance: /
• CAS DataBase Reference: 5-Hexyl-2,3-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride(CAS DataBase Reference)
• NIST Chemistry Reference: 5-Hexyl-2,3-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride(99077-15-3)
• EPA Substance Registry System: 5-Hexyl-2,3-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride(99077-15-3)

Safety Data

• Hazardous Substances Data: 99077-15-3(Hazardous Substances Data)

Usage

Main properties

1. Name: 5-Hexyl-2,3-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (MTT)
2. Color: Yellow
3. Usage: Used as a substrate for mitochondrial dehydrogenase in cell biology
4. Conversion: Converted to formazan, a purple compound, in living cells
5. Quantification: Amount of formazan produced is proportional to number of viable cells

Specific content

1. MTT is commonly used in cell viability, proliferation, and cytotoxicity assays in cell biology.
2. MTT is added to cells where it is converted by mitochondrial dehydrogenases to formazan, a purple compound.
3. The amount of formazan produced is directly proportional to the number of viable cells present.
4. Formazan production can be quantified spectrophotometrically to measure cell viability.
5. MTT is a useful tool for studying cell metabolism and assessing the effects of drugs, toxins, and experimental treatments on cell health.

Upstream product

• 100-63-0 phenylhydrazine 
• 6228-45-1 heptanal phenylhydrazone 
• 111-71-7 heptanal 
• 2684-02-8 benzenediazonium 
• 77383-52-9 3-Hexyl-1,5-diphenyl-formazan 
• 507-40-4 tert-butylhypochlorite 

Relevant articles and documents

Anti-Plasmodium activity of tetrazolium salts

We have previously reported that sulfated cyclodextrins inhibit the invasion of Plasmodium merozoites by interacting with receptors present on the surface of erythrocytes. The observation that tetrazolium salts formed stable complexes with the inhibitory sulfated cyclodextrins suggested that tetrazolium salts might have anti-Plasmodium activity as well. Evaluation of commercially available tetrazolium salts indicated that some were active in the low nanomolar range and showed specificity in their inhibition of Plasmodium. Synthesis of a further 54 structures allowed us to determine that activity results from an aromatic component attached to the tetrazolium carbon atom (R1) and its size is not critical to the activity of the compound. Nitro modifications of active compounds are poorly tolerated, however, the presence of halogen atoms on aromatic groups attached to the nitrogen atoms of the tetrazolium ring (R2 and R3) has little effect on activity. Methoxy groups are tolerated on R2 and R3 components; however, they are disruptive on the R1 component. The overall results suggest that the R1 component is interacting with a specific hydrophobic environment and the R2 and R3 components are less constrained. The activity of these compounds in several human and mouse Plasmodium cultures suggests that the compounds interact with a component of the parasite that is both essential and conserved.