The MTT Assay: Utility, Limitations, Pitfalls, and Interpretation in Bulk and Single-Cell Analysis

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 22; no. 23; p. 12827
• Main Authors: Ghasemi, Mahshid, Turnbull, Tyron, Sebastian, Sonia, Kempson, Ivan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26.11.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Cell Count; Cell Survival; Culture Media - pharmacology; Cytotoxicity; Enzymes; Gold - chemistry; Humans; Male; Metabolism; Metal Nanoparticles - administration & dosage; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Polyethylene glycol; Prostatic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Prostatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Reagents; Secretome; Single-Cell Analysis - methods; Tumor Cells, Cultured; how to; gold nanoparticles; PC-3 cells; interpret; cell metabolism; image cytometry; MTT assay; cytotoxicity; viability assay

The MTT assay for cellular metabolic activity is almost ubiquitous to studies of cell toxicity; however, it is commonly applied and interpreted erroneously. We investigated the applicability and limitations of the MTT assay in representing treatment toxicity, cell viability, and metabolic activity....