Methylene blue solution is a general biological stain with a deep blue color. This methylene blue stain is a 1% aqueous solution that can be substituted for Janus Green B stain or Carmine stain; it's designed for the assessment of RNA and DNA immobilized on hybridization membranes.
What does methylene blue stain?
Methylene blue, also known as methylthioninium chloride, can be used to stain or highlight parts of animal, bacteria, and blood tissue specimens in microbiology. Use it to closely observe the shapes, structures, and locations of dead cells and other tissues!
The blue dye in methylene blue solution stains acidic animal cell parts (like the nucleus) blue, allowing students to easily view and study them throughout their microscopy, histology, hematology, morphology, and other biological studies. Methylene blue dye is a good counter-stain for Eosin Y - a red stain used for the staining of connective tissue and cytoplasm.
Use methylene blue staining to make a smear of cheek cells on a glass slide, to closely study blood cells, or as an optional material in this mold observation science project! There are a number of staining procedures, and you can check out our Microscope Slide Stains article to learn more about the variety of stains you can use.
Take a look at the table below to discover the methylene blue formula, form, shelf life, and more!
| Formula | C16H18ClN3S |
| Form | Solution |
| CAS # | Mixture |
| DOT Classification | Non-Regulated |
| Storage Code | Green |
| Shelf Life | 36 Months |
| Common Uses | Dye, staining agent |
- Economy Shipping is $7.95 for most orders (some products are not eligible).
- FREE Economy Shipping on orders $100+ with code 100FREESHIP.
- Orders with 1-day or 2-day shipping placed by 1:00 pm MST ship the same day. All other orders typically ship the next business day.
- See Shipping Information for more details.
- Returns: Return unused products within 60 days. To get started, see our return policy.