What is CCK8
In the field of biomedical research and drug development, CCK8 (Cell Counting Kit-8) is a widely used cell proliferation and toxicity detection reagent. It is favored by scientific researchers for its high sensitivity, easy operation and stability. This article will introduce in detail the principles, application scenarios and recent hot topics of CCK8 to help readers fully understand this important tool.
1. Basic principles of CCK8

CCK8 is a detection reagent based on water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-8). Its working principle is to reduce WST-8 to an orange-yellow formazan product through mitochondrial dehydrogenase. The color depth is proportional to the number of living cells. This reaction does not require radioactive materials, and the detection process can be completed on an ordinary microplate reader.
| Components | function |
|---|---|
| WST-8 | Reduced to formazan, causing color change |
| electronic carrier | Accelerate electron transfer and improve reaction efficiency |
| Buffer | Maintain stable pH of reaction system |
2. Typical applications of CCK8
CCK8 kits have important applications in multiple research fields:
| Application areas | Specific use |
|---|---|
| drug screening | Assessing the effects of compounds on cell proliferation |
| Cancer research | Detection of cytotoxicity of antitumor drugs |
| Immunology research | Analyze immune cell activity |
| toxicology research | Assessing the cytotoxicity of environmental toxins |
3. Comparison between CCK8 and MTT
Compared with the traditional MTT method, CCK8 has obvious advantages:
| parameters | CCK8 | MTT |
|---|---|---|
| solubility | Water soluble, no dissolving step required | Insoluble in water, requires organic solvent to dissolve |
| Sensitivity | higher | relatively low |
| Operation steps | simple | complicated |
| Detection time | 1-4 hours | 4-6 hours |
4. Recent popular research applications
According to academic developments in the past 10 days, CCK8 has played an important role in the following hot research:
| Research areas | Specific applications | publish journal |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer drug development | Assessing the cytotoxicity of novel nanodrug delivery systems | Journal of Nanobiotechnology |
| COVID-19 research | Testing the protective effect of antiviral drugs on host cells | Virology Journal |
| stem cell therapy | Monitor stem cell proliferation and differentiation status | Stem Cell Research & Therapy |
5. Precautions for using CCK8
To ensure the accuracy of CCK8 test results, you need to pay attention to the following key points:
| Things to note | Reason |
|---|---|
| Avoid repeated freezing and thawing | Prevent reagent degradation |
| Control cell density | Ensure linear relationship |
| Store away from light | Prevent photodegradation |
| Set multiple holes in parallel | Improve data reliability |
6. Market status of CCK8
According to the latest market research data, CCK8 related products show the following trends:
| brand | market share | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Dojindo | 35% | High sensitivity |
| Beyotime | 25% | High cost performance |
| Sigma-Aldrich | 20% | global supply |
| Other brands | 20% | Customized services |
7. The future development direction of CCK8
With technological advancement, CCK8 detection technology is developing in the following directions: 1) integrating with automated equipment to increase throughput; 2) developing more stable formulas to extend shelf life; 3) optimizing detection protocols and shortening reaction times; 4) expanding to new models such as 3D cell culture.
Overall, CCK8, as an important tool for cell detection, plays an irreplaceable role in basic research and drug development. Its simplicity and sensitivity make it a regular choice in laboratories, and with technological advancement, its application prospects will be broader.
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