Quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids—novel cell permeant and red fluorescing DNA probes

Abstract

It was shown that MA, CHR, and SA stain nucleic acids in living cells. They can be used as supravital fluorescent DNA probes, both in fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, including multiparameter analysis of peripheral blood and bone marrow. MA binds DNA stochiometrically and can provide information on DNA content.