(Z)-Thiazole Orange (iodide)

(Z)-Thiazole Orange iodide is an asymmetric cyanine dye whose fluorescence highly depends on the local environment.(Z)-Thiazole Orange iodide is essentially dark in solution; however, its fluorescence increases a thousandfold when (Z)-Thiazole Orange iodide is introduced into double-stranded DNA and RNA (dsDNA or dsRNA). The maximum absorption of Thiazole Orange in complex with DNA is 509 nm, and the maximum emission is 532 nm. Thiazole Orange solution is widely used for determining the percentage of reticulocytes in human peripheral blood with microscopy and flow cytometry.