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MAXfluor™ Mounting Media provide optimal fluorescence stability, superior anti-fading during long-term storage, and inhibition of photobleaching during examination by both traditional (single photon excitation) and super-resolution microscopy (4Pi). MAXfluor Media are available in three formulations, which enable you to use different DNA counterstains.
Figure 1: Immunofluorescence staining with MAXfluor DAPI.
Methanol-fixed HeLa cells were blocked overnight in MAXblock, then mounted using MAXfluor DAPI. Cells were visualized using a Zeiss AxioImager.
3 different MAXfluor Mounting Media
MAXfluor Mounting Medium is a non-hardening, glycerol-based, aqueous mounting medium designed to be dispersed over an entire coverslip. Recommended usage is 20 µl per 22 mm square coverslip, and MAXfluor is to be used at the concentration supplied. Coverslips may be sealed with nail polish or other sealants for long-term storage.
MAXfluor DAPI Mounting Medium is MAXfluor with the addition of DAPI (4´,6 diamidino-2-phenylindole) at 1.5 µg/ml. DAPI is a nuclear and chromosome counterstain that emits blue fluorescence upon binding to AT-rich regions of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). The expected excitation of DAPI when bound to dsDNA is 358 nm with an emission maxima of 461 nm. Note that DAPI may also bind AU-rich regions of RNA, however the emission spectra shifts to ~500 nm. MAXfluor DAPI is suitable for use in widefield applications where a xenon or mercury lamp is in use, or in confocal microscopy using a UV laser line. It may also be used in multiphoton applications as well as in super-resolution microscopy, such as 4Pi. MAXfluor DAPI can be diluted in MAXfluor, if required.
MAXfluor PI Mounting Medium is MAXfluor with the addition of propidium iodide at 1.5 µg/ml. Propidium iodide is membrane impermeable and is generally excluded from viable cells. It binds DNA by intercalating between bases with no sequence preference. The dye, binding one molecule per 4-5 bases of DNA, increases in fluorescence ~20 fold. When bound to DNA the excitation of PI is 535 nm with an emission of 617 nm. PI may be used in widefield microscopy where a xenon or mercury lamp is used, or in confocal microscopy using a 488 argon laser line. It is not recommended for use in multiphoton applications as the excitation and collection may exceed certain systems. MAXfluor PI can be diluted in MAXfluor, if required.
Get it all, or just what you need
For your convenience, the three MAXfluor Mounting Media are available separately as well as in a complete collection, the MAXfluor TRIO Mounting Media Kit. And, for a complete solution containing everything you need for immunofluorescence, see the complete MAX Stain™ Universal Immunofluorescence System.
