"Versatile and Reliable Nuclear Stain for FACS and Confocal Imaging"

PRODUCT:                  DRAQ5

Application Area:        Cell Sorting

Ease of Use:              ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After Sales Service:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Value for Money:        ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Average rating:           4.7

Comments: We used Invitrogen™ eBioscience™ DRAQ5™ primarily as a far-red nuclear stain for both flow cytometry (FACS) and confocal microscopy applications. In flow cytometry, DRAQ5 provided rapid and uniform nuclear staining, enabling accurate discrimination of nucleated cells from debris. Its far-red emission allowed us to combine it with commonly used fluorophores such as FITC, PE, and APC, without significant spectral overlap, thus expanding our multicolor panel design.

For cell sorting, DRAQ5 proved particularly useful in identifying nucleated versus enucleated cells and facilitated precise gating strategies. The dye’s rapid uptake, even without permeabilization, made it highly suitable for live-cell analysis and sorting with minimal sample preparation.

In confocal microscopy, DRAQ5 provided sharp, high-contrast nuclear labeling with minimal photobleaching. Its far-red excitation minimized phototoxicity and avoided interference with green and red fluorophores, allowing us to perform multiplexed imaging of protein markers in both fixed and live-cell conditions.

Overall, DRAQ5 performed robustly across both platforms, delivering reproducible results and consistent staining quality. We selected it for its spectral properties, ease of integration into FACS workflows, and compatibility with confocal imaging, and it has become a reliable part of our staining toolkit.

Name: Rizwanul Haque

Organisation: Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

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Manufacturer's response: Dear Rizwanul, thank you so much for this comprehensive description of the rationale for your choice of DRAQ5.  As you rightly say this is one tool in a very big toolbox!