General description
Safranin O, also known as Basic Red 2, is a basic, cationic, metachromatic azine dye used as a biological stain. The characteristic azine chromophore contains the phenazine, a planar, tricyclic dibenzopyrazine, which consists of two non-planar benzene rings linked by two nitrogen atoms. A delocalized positive charge, an alternation of aromatic and quinonoid structures, and diazotizable amine groups constitute the chromophoric system. c-Methylation makes this dye of moderate overall size. The trimethyl cationic form of safranine is lipophilic, whereas the dimethyl forms are weakly hydrophilic. The dye is commercially available as a chloride.
Application
- Safranin O is widely employed as a microbiological stain, especially as a counterstain in Gram staining to distinguish Gram-positive from Gram-negative micro-organisms, and for staining bacterial spores.
- It is used to demonstrate glycosaminoglycans in human and animal histological specimens and nuclei.
- It is a component of Benda′s polychrome stain.
- It is a component of various polychromes and lignin stains for botanical staining applications.
- It has also been applied for the demonstration of mast cells in cytospin preparations and staining surgical frozen sections.
- UPC:
- 51461525
- Condition:
- New
- Weight:
- 1.00 Ounces
- HazmatClass:
- No
- WeightUOM:
- LB
- MPN:
- 84120-25G