ABSTRACT
A well-defined nucleus seen in mammalian cells can be easily visualized through DAPI staining. To determine the morphology of the nucleus, evaluation of the nucleus in a few experiments involving nuclear transport of proteins needs to be visualized. The fluorescent stain 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) is easily applied to living or fixed cells in order to visualize nuclear DNA. To assess gross cell morphology and determine how many nuclei there were, DAPI staining was used. Following light microscopic analyses, the stained cells were processed for electron microscopy. The ultrastructural appearance of cells stained with DAPI was not significantly different from that of cells not stained with DAPI. Cells can be stained with DAPI multiple times, thereby eliminating the need for duplicate samples.
