LumiTracker Mito JC-1 (LP2275)

JC-1 is a cationic carbocyanine dye that accumulates in the mitochondria of live cells in a potential-dependent manner. The dye exists as a green-fluorescent monomer at depolarized membranes and low concentrations. At higher concentrations (aqueous solutions above 0.1 µM) and hyperpolarized membranes, the dye forms J-aggregates that exhibit an emission at the orange channel. Healthy cells have high mitochondrial membrane potential, and the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential is a marker of the early stage of apoptosis. All this allows the use of changes in the orange/green fluorescence ratio of JC-1 to determine healthy vs. depolarized mitochondria. The orange/green fluorescence ratio of JC-1 depends only on the mitochondrial membrane potential and not on other factors such as the size, shape, and density of mitochondria.