What is "resazurin"

n. (context organic compound English) A blue dye that is reduced to the fluorescent derivative resorufin

Resazurin (7-Hydroxy-3H-phenoxazin-3-one 10-oxide) is a blue dye, itself weakly fluorescent until it is irreversibly reduced to the pink colored and highly red fluorescent resorufin. It is used as an oxidation-reduction indicator in cell viability assays for bacteria and mammalian cells, and for measuring aerobic respiration and exchange with the hyporheic zone in streams. Usually it is available commercially as the sodium salt.

Resazurin solution has one of the highest values known of Kreft's dichromaticity index. This means that it has a large change in perceived color hue when the thickness or concentration of observed sample increases or decreases.