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  6. Invitrogen™ Dil Stain (1,1'-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-Tetramethylindocarbocyanine Perchlorate ('DiI'; DiIC18(3)))

Invitrogen™ Dil Stain (1,1'-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-Tetramethylindocarbocyanine Perchlorate ('DiI'; DiIC18(3)))

Catalog No. D3911
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D3911 25 mg
D282 100 mg
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Catalog No. D3911 Supplier Invitrogen™ Supplier No. D3911
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Description

DiI is a lipophilic membrane stain that diffuses laterally to stain the entire cell. It is weakly fluorescent until incorporated into membranes.

DiI is a lipophilic membrane stain that diffuses laterally to stain the entire cell. It is weakly fluorescent until incorporated into membranes. This orange/red-fluorescent dye, which is spectrally similar to tetramethylrhodamine, is often used as a long-term tracer for neuronal and other cells. DiI is also available as a solution (Cat. No. V-22885), as a paste (Cat. No. N-22880) or as a solid (Cat. No. D-282).

Prepare stock solutions of lipophilic tracers in dimethyl formamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), or ethanol at 1 to 2.5 mg/mL.

Order Info

Shipping Condition: Room Temperature

Specifications

Color Yellow
Content And Storage Store at room temperature and protect from light.
Excitation Wavelength Range 549 nm
For Use With (Equipment) Fluorescence Microscope
Quantity 25 mg
Detection Method Fluorescence
Emission 565 nm
Shipping Condition Room Temperature
Product Type Liphophilic Tracer
SubCellular Localization Cell Membranes, Lipids
Molecular Weight (g/mol) 933.88
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I'm labeling live cells with Vybrant DiI or DiD lipophilic cyanine dyes. DiI gives a nice even membrane labeling, but DiD is more "spotty". What can be done?

This is expected. DiD (which is far-red fluorescent) is never as uniform as DiI (which is orange fluorescent). If uniformity is desired, try increasing the label time and concentration, but it still isn't likely to be as uniform as DiI. CellMask Deep Red Plasma Membrane stain is much more uniform and is about the same wavelength as DiD. However, if you intend to do cell tracking over days, CellMask stain has not been tried for that application.
Why do I lose all signal from my neuronal tracer when I do a methanol fixation on my cells?

If the tracer you chose is a lipophilic dye and fix with methanol, the lipids are lost with the methanol. If you have to use methanol fixation then choose a tracer that will covalently bind to proteins in the neurons.
I stained my cells with a lipophilic cyanine dye, like DiI, but the signal was lost when I tried to follow up with antibody labeling. Why?

Since these dyes insert into lipid membranes, any disruption of the membranes leads to loss of the dye. This includes permeabilization with detergents like Triton X-100 or organic solvents like methanol. Permeabilization is necessary for intracellular antibody labeling, leading to loss of the dye. Instead, a reactive dye such as CFDA SE should be used to allow for covalent attachment to cellular components, thus providing for better retention upon fixation and permeabilization.
I labeled my neurons with DiI and then fixed and permeabilized and now I have no signal. What did I do wrong?

DiI is a lipophilic dye that resides mostly in lipids in the cell, when cells are permeabilized with detergent or fixed using alcohol this strips away the lipid and the dye. If permeabilization is required CM-DiI can be used because this binds covalently to proteins in the membrane; some signal is lost upon fixation/permeabilization, but enough signal should be retained to make detection possible.
How long does it take for lipophlic tracers to transport along the membrane? How much faster are the FAST lipophilic dyes?

The transport is fairly slow, around 6 mm/day in live tissue and slower in fixed tissue, so diffusion of lipophilic carbocyanine tracers from the point of their application to the terminus of a neuron can take several days to weeks The FAST DiO and DiI analogs (which have unsaturated alkyl tails) can improve transport rate by around 50%.

Which form of the lipophilic tracers (DiO, DiI, DiD, etc) should I use?

Select the dye that is compatible with your available excitation source(s) and emission filter set/channels. The solid, paste and crystal forms can be applied directly to neurons in tissues. For labeling cells in culture or microinjection, the lipophilic dyes in solution or solid form can be used.
How do I know which tracer to choose for my experiment?

Factors to consider are size of tracer, method of delivery (injection, direct application to tissue, etc.), and if the tracer needs to be fixable. Here are some links to details about the various classes of neuronal tracers we offer and how to choose between them:

Neuronal Tracing (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cell-tracing-tracking-and-morphology/neuronal-tracing.html)
Choosing a Tracer (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/references/molecular-probes-the-handbook/fluorescent-tracers-of-cell-morphology-and-fluid-flow/choosing-a-tracer.html)
Imaging Analysis (http://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/BID/Reference-Materials/bioprobes-50-journal.pdf)

Is there a way to label individual neurons without microinjecting?

The solid and crystalline forms of DiI and other related dyes (Cat. Nos. D282, D3911, D7757, and D12731) are sometimes placed in contact with a specific neuron where it will travel down the cell by lateral diffusion via the membrane. Alternatively, our NeuroTrace Tissue Labeling Paste can be scooped onto a needle and placed onto particular neurons.

Please see the information below for a comparison of our neuronal cell labeling methods:
Product:Method of labeling: Labeling intensity: Features
Neuron-specific antibodies: Primary antibodies directed to proteins expressed in neuronal cells: Proportional to the amount of protein expressed: Provides the only neuronal specific labeling method
Lipophilic neuronal ytracers: Hydrophobic dyes are incorporated into lipids in the cell: This labeling method provides the most intense labeling becuase of the abundant amount of lipids: Allows tracing of neurons throughout the sample
Membrane potential indicators: Dyes are loaded into live cells in aqueous buffers: Depends on either changes in structures due to the electrical field they are in, or dye influx due to depolarization: Changes in membrane potential play a central role in physiological processes, including nerve-impulse propagation, muscle contraction, and cell signaling
What products do you have for neuronal tracing?

Please check out this web page (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-analysis/cell-tracing-tracking-and-morphology/neuronal-tracing.html) for details.

I want to label two cell populations and then perform a cell fusion assay. Which reagents are best for imaging this?

Lipophilic cyanine dyes are preferred for this sort of assay, since they insert into cellular membranes and then, upon fusion, are shared by the fused cells as the membranes are shared. For example, one cell population can be labeled with DiI (orange-red) and another cell population can be labeled with DiO (green), and when the cells fuse, the combined color appears yellow (when imaged with a dual-bandpass filter set).

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.