
Cy3 dic18 | CAS 22366-93-4
| Catalog Number | F02-0108 |
| Category | Cell membrane Fluorescent Probes |
| Molecular Formula | C59H97IN2 |
| Molecular Weight | 961.32 |
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Product Introduction
DiI is an orange-red fluorescent carbocyanine dye. DiI is a widely used lipophilic dye that labels cell membranes by inserting its two long hydrocarbon (C18 carbon) chains into the lipid bilayer.
Chemical Information
Application
Chemical Information
| Synonyms | DiI, lipophilic tracer; 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine |
| IUPAC Name | (2E)-2-[(E)-3-(3,3-dimethyl-1-octadecylindol-1-ium-2-yl)prop-2-enylidene]-3,3-dimethyl-1-octadecylindole;iodide |
| SMILES | CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCN1C2=CC=CC=C2C(C1=CC=CC3=[N+](C4=CC=CC=C4C3(C)C)CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC)(C)C.[I-] |
| InChI | InChI=1S/C59H97N2.HI/c1-7-9-11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-29-31-33-35-41-50-60-54-46-39-37-44-52(54)58(3,4)56(60)48-43-49-57-59(5,6)53-45-38-40-47-55(53)61(57)51-42-36-34-32-30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-2;/h37-40,43-49H,7-36,41-42,50-51H2,1-6H3;1H/q+1;/p-1 |
| InChIKey | LGGGGSMIMQDWCZ-UHFFFAOYSA-M |
| Solubility | Soluble in DMSO |
| Appearance | Violet Solid |
Application
Cy3 dic18 is a cyanine-based lipophilic fluorescent dye designed for membrane-associated staining and fluorescence labeling in microscopy and fluorescence workflows. Its hydrophobic character supports incorporation into lipid environments, enabling visualization of membrane structures and membrane dynamics with Cy3-compatible excitation/emission. In practice, Cy3 dic18 is used as a robust fluorescent tracer for cell biology and biomaterials research where lipid labeling is required.
1. Membrane Labeling Microscopy
Cy3 dic18 is commonly used as a fluorescent membrane tracer for imaging cell membranes and membrane-associated structures by fluorescence microscopy. Researchers incorporate the dye into lipid-containing samples to generate bright membrane-associated signal with Cy3 spectral compatibility, supporting studies of membrane morphology, membrane trafficking readouts, and qualitative tracking of lipid-rich compartments. This labeling approach is frequently adopted in cell imaging workflows where a lipophilic dye provides strong association with membranes without requiring protein-specific targeting.
2. Lipid Incorporation Tracing
Cy3 dic18 is applied as a lipophilic fluorescent probe for tracing lipid mixing and lipid incorporation in model membrane systems and lipid-containing biomaterials. In membrane mimic studies, the dye is used to monitor how fluorescent lipids distribute across vesicles, supported lipid layers, or other lipid assemblies, providing a convenient readout for membrane organization and transport-like behaviors. This makes Cy3 dic18 useful for researchers developing membrane-active materials, studying lipid exchange processes, and validating lipid coating or lipid-functionalized surface architectures.
3. Flow Cytometry Membrane Staining
Cy3 dic18 is used in flow cytometry as a membrane-associated fluorescence label to quantify relative membrane labeling intensity across cell populations. By staining cells with a lipophilic Cy3 dye, researchers can generate a fluorescence signal that reflects dye association with cellular lipid environments, supporting population-level comparisons in labeling experiments and membrane-related assay development. The Cy3 spectral window enables integration into standard flow cytometry instrument configurations that include appropriate filter sets for Cy3 emission.
4. Fluorescence-Based Bioassay Development
Cy3 dic18 supports fluorescence assay development where lipid-dependent processes or membrane interactions are monitored using a dye-based readout. In assay formats designed to report on membrane perturbation, membrane binding, or membrane-associated events, the dye provides a convenient fluorescent signal that can be monitored by plate readers or imaging systems configured for Cy3 detection. This application is especially common in chemical biology and biomaterials labs that need a practical membrane labeling reagent compatible with fluorescence measurement workflows.
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