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General Cytotoxicity Assessment by Means of the MTT Assay

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Protocols in In Vitro Hepatocyte Research

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1250))

Abstract

Cytotoxicity assays were among the first in vitro bioassay methods used to predict toxicity of substances to various tissues. In vitro cytotoxicity testing provides a crucial means for safety assessment and screening, and for ranking compounds. The choice of using a particular cytotoxicity assay technology may be influenced by specific research goals. As such, four main classes of assays are used to monitor the response of cultured cells after treatment with potential toxicants. These methods measure viability, cell membrane integrity, cell proliferation, and metabolic activity. In this chapter, we focus on the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide tetrazolium reduction colorimetric assay to evaluate detrimental intracellular effects on metabolic activity. This assay is well-characterized, simple to use and remains popular in several laboratories worldwide.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge financial support from the ALIVE Foundation. Laia Tolosa was a recipient of a Sara Borrell Contract from the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de Hepatología Experimental, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Torre A, Avda Fernando Abril Martorell 106, 46026, Valencia, Spain

    Laia Tolosa, María Teresa Donato & María José Gómez-Lechón

  2. CIBERehd, FIS, 08036, Barcelona, Spain

    María Teresa Donato & María José Gómez-Lechón

  3. Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, 46010, Valencia, Spain

    María Teresa Donato

Authors
  1. Laia Tolosa
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  2. María Teresa Donato
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  3. María José Gómez-Lechón
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to María José Gómez-Lechón .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

    Mathieu Vinken

  2. Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

    Vera Rogiers

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Tolosa, L., Donato, M.T., Gómez-Lechón, M.J. (2015). General Cytotoxicity Assessment by Means of the MTT Assay. In: Vinken, M., Rogiers, V. (eds) Protocols in In Vitro Hepatocyte Research. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1250. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2074-7_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2074-7_26

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2073-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2074-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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