Safranine O is a cationic dye belonging to azonium group of compounds. It contains diaminophenazine chromophore with a phenyl substituent attached to a ring nitrogen, giving rise to a markedly nonplanar distribution of the aromatic rings. In cell culture, Safranine O is used for histological and cytological applications. Most commonly it is used for demonstration of glycosaminoglycans in human and animal histological specimens and frozen sections. It has been applied for detection of mast cells in cytospin preparations. Basic (cationic) chemical nature of Safranine also makes it a dye of choice for staining acidic proteoglycan present in cartilage tissue and chondrocytes.
