Cytotoxicity
Cytotoxicity — The quality of being toxic to cells, measured in peptide research to determine safe concentration ranges and identify potential harmful effects.
What Is Cytotoxicity?
Cytotoxicity is the ability of a substance to kill cells or inhibit their growth. Cytotoxicity testing is mandatory for any peptide intended for cell-based or in vivo research to distinguish therapeutic effects from non-specific cell death. Antimicrobial peptides must demonstrate selective toxicity to pathogens over host cells.
Cytotoxicity Assays
- MTT/MTS: Colorimetric. Mitochondrial reductase converts tetrazolium to purple formazan in living cells
- LDH release: Membrane integrity. Lactate dehydrogenase leaks from damaged cells
- ATP luminescence: CellTiter-Glo. Most sensitive viability assay
- Selectivity index: IC50(mammalian) / MIC(pathogen). Higher = more selective
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cytotoxicity?
The quality of being toxic to cells, measured in peptide research to determine safe concentration ranges and identify potential harmful effects.
Why is Cytotoxicity important in peptide research?
Cytotoxicity is a fundamental concept in pharmacology as it relates to peptide science. It directly influences experimental design, compound characterization, and the reliability of research outcomes across biochemistry and molecular biology disciplines.