What are common considerations for using the Senescence β-Galactosidase Staining Kit #9860?

Some common considerations for using the Senescence β-Galactosidase Staining Kit #9860 are as follows:

1. Please ensure that the 10X Staining Solution, as well as Supplement A and B, are fully dissolved before diluting it to 1X. The solutions can be heated to 37C for a few minutes to redissolve any precipitate.
2. The pH of your final staining solution is very important. A pH of 6.0 is best, but we recommend to keep it between 5.9 and 6.1. A low pH can result in false positives and a high pH can result in false negatives. If necessary, use HCl or NaOH to lower or raise the pH, respectively.
3. A dry incubator must be used for X-gal staining as tissue culture incubators have CO2 which can change the pH of the staining solution and affect staining.
4. An X-gal solution, when stored at -20C in a polypropylene plastic or glass container and protected from light, is only stable for about one month.

Last updated: February 26, 2024