A review of tissue and organ viability assay

A review on the subject of viability is a difficult, if not impossible, task, particularly when the term itself cludes a definition. In search for a definition this review has considered some of the approaches to, and methods of, assay of viability and discussed their role in the interpretation of events in dying cells. The multiplicity of processes which occur in a living cell forces the conclusion that no single laboratory approach can be useful by itself. However, the collection of chemical, structural, and functional data may be meaningful in an ultimate interpretation of cell, tissue, and organ survival.