Calcofluor White is a fluorescent blue dye that binds to cellulose and chitin, which can be found in the cell walls of fungi, algae, and plants. In budding yeast Calcofluor White stains bud scars more strongly, because they have a higher concentration of chitin. Calcofluor White is sometimes used to identify fungal infections in medical samples.

• Fluorescent blue dye
• Binds to cellulose and chitin
• Used to stain cell walls of fungi, algae, and plants
• 5 mM solution in water
• C₄₀H₄₄N₁₂O₁₀S₂

Calcofluor White also stains gram-positive bacteria, but not gram-negative bacteria or mammalian cells. See our Cellular Stains Table for more information on how our dyes stain various organisms.

S. cereviciae stained with the Yeast Vitality Staining Kit: Calcofluor White stains all cell walls blue and ViaVac™ stains the vacuoles of metabolically active cells red and the cytoplasm of all cells green (not shown)