JC-1 #92891

JC-1 is a membrane-permeable cyanine dye used to measure mitochondrial membrane potential. JC-1 is a dual-emission, green-fluorescent dye (emission maximum at approximately 520 nm) at low membrane potential and forms red-fluorescence (emission maximum at 596 nm) at higher membrane potentials (1). Monomeric JC-1 is the predominant form in cells exhibiting lower mitochondrial membrane potential, while aggregates of JC-1 (“J-aggregates”) are found in cells with higher mitochondrial membrane potential (2). JC-1 can be used to detect cells undergoing apoptosis, with healthy cells exhibiting red-fluorescence and cytoplasmic JC-1 exhibiting green-fluorescence in apoptotic cells (3). JC-1 is also a substrate of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp, MDR1), an ATP-binding cassette transporter protein associated with development of multidrug resistance. Transport of JC-1 by P-gp from cells can reduce cellular JC-1 levels, creating a false indication of decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (4).