What is the mechanism of supravital staining?

Supravital staining is a technique used to visualize living cells by applying dyes that can penetrate the cell membrane without killing the cells. The mechanism relies on the differential permeability of the cell membrane, allowing certain vital stains, such as trypan blue or methylene blue, to enter living cells while non-viable cells typically take up the dye differently or not at all. This allows researchers to assess cell viability and morphology in real-time. The staining can provide insights into cellular functions and metabolic states without compromising cell integrity.