GlowMito
GlowMito was developed and manufactured in France by Idylle Labs
How does it work?
GlowMito provides a non-toxic solution to quickly visualize the entire mitochondrial network in live samples.
GlowMito quickly penetrates cells and produces a bright & stable red labeling of mitochondria without inducing cell toxicity or altering mitochondrial functions. produces a bright, red labeling of the entire mitochondrial network, including those with reduced potential. It is perfectly suitable for:
- Live imaging: study of mitochondrial dynamics (velocity, localization), structural changes, multiplexing (potentiometric dyes, calcium signaling probes, etc)
- Downstream analysis: flow cytometry, oxygraphy, etc
We do not recommend its use to measure mitochondrial mass or volume density.
Simplified Protocol
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Documents
Product Manual
Please note: All documents above are for reference use only and should not be used in place of the documents included with this physical product. If digital copies are needed, please contact us.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does GlowMito come from?
GlowMito was derived from a triamino-phenazinium belonging to the induline family. With their attractive absorption properties and excellent stability, these molecules have a long history as dyestuffs and attracted major attention in applications from photoreceptor or electrophotography agents to ingredient in color industry.
These derivatives also showed great potential to serve as new mitochondrial probes, although biological applications had so far been neglected. In particular, their appealing photophysical properties characterized by high fluorescence quantum yield and absorption cross-section make them ideal candidates for two-photon excitation microscopy. After having modified some of their substituents to make them internalized by cells and mitochondria more efficiently, GlowMito was born!
The newly synthesized compound, soluble in water, proved very efficient at quickly accumulating within mitochondria without inducing any cytotoxic effects or altering normal mitochondrial functions. Since then, GlowMito expanded the scope of mitochondrial probes by providing a solution of choice to label the entire mitochondrial network quickly and safely in live cells, deep tissues, and even anaerobic organisms.
What do we know of GlowMito labeling mechanism?
GlowMito is a cell-permeant probe that is rapidly internalized by cells and specifically target the mitochondria. The quick GlowMito penetration in cells was made possible by the introduction of lipophilic substituents in the original molecule, coupled with its cationic charge, thereby enhancing passive diffusion across cell membranes as it is observed for various lipophilic cations.
As known for various other lipophilic cations, GlowMito accumuation within mitochondria is at least partly driven by membrane potential. Yet, although the precise mechanisms are not yet unraveled, it is likely that GlowMito also relies on other membrane potential-independent mechanisms such as specific interactions with anionic species within the mitochondrial matrix, enhancing the retention of the dye within the mitochondria even with reduced potential.
How was mitochondrial specificity of GlowMito verified?
The strong ability of GlowMito to specifically target mitochondria has been meticulously checked by co-localization studies. More generally, the ability of lipophilic cations to specifically target mitochondria is already well-established and conjugating molecules to lipophilic cations is a commonly used method to develop mitochondria-targeted compounds.
Which assays can GlowMito be used for?
GlowMito produces a bright, red labeling of the entire mitochondrial network, including those with reduced potential. It is perfectly suitable for:
- Live imaging: study of mitochondrial dynamics (velocity, localization), structural changes, multiplexing (potentiometric dyes, calcium signaling probes, etc)
- Downstream analysis: flow cytometry, oxygraphy, etc
We do not recommend its use to measure mitochondrial mass or volume density.
Which types of samples has GlowMito been used with?
So far, GlowMito has been successfully used to label mitochondria in the following biological samples:
- Human cells: HEK293, HeLa, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, HMLE, UACC-62, U2-OS, Gli36, HAEC, SH-SY5Y, A-172, A549, patient-derived skeletal muscle cells & primary smooth muscle cells
- Monkey cells: COS-7
- Mice cells: primary cortical neurons
- Tissues: hiPSC-derived heart tissues & mice isolated pressurized blood vessels
- Parasitic protists: Trichomonas Vaginalis
GlowMito showed no internalization in yeast cells
