Application

Acridine Orange hydrochloride solution has been used to study autophagic cell death. It has also been used for the staining of chromosomes.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Acridine Orange is a metachromatic dye which can stain DNA, RNA and acid glycosaminoglycans. At low concentration it intercalates into DNA and precipitates RNA. However, at high concentration it denatures and precipitates both RNA and DNA. Acridine Orange is also used to analyze autophagy. It goes into acidic organelles in a pH-dependent manner. At neutral pH, acridine orange gives a green fluorescence and in acidic conditions, it accumulates in the acidic organelle giving a bright red fluorescence.