Nile blue

Nile blue
Names
	IUPAC name [9-(diethylamino)benzo[a]phenoxazin-5-ylidene]azanium sulfate
	Other names Nile blue A, Nile blue sulfate
Identifiers
CAS Number	2381-85-3 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
ChEMBL	ion:: ChEMBL1185333 ; chloride:: ChEMBL407862 ;
ChemSpider	neutral:: 374117 ;
ECHA InfoCard	100.020.757
PubChem CID	19256; ion:: 16939; neutral:: 422690;
UNII	E58RL8T2X3 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/C20H21N3O/c1-3-23(4-2)13-9-10-17-18(11-13)24-19-12-16(21)14-7-5-6-8-15(14)20(19)22-17/h5-13H,3-4,21H2,1-2H3 Key: WOIORDFNOALMFO-UHFFFAOYSA-N ; InChI=1/C20H21N3O/c1-3-23(4-2)13-9-10-17-18(11-13)24-19-12-16(21)14-7-5-6-8-15(14)20(19)22-17/h5-13H,3-4,21H2,1-2H3 Key: WOIORDFNOALMFO-UHFFFAOYAF;
	SMILES N=1c3c(OC=2C=1\C=C/C(N(CC)CC)C=2)cc(c4c3cccc4)N;
Properties
Chemical formula	C20H20ClN3O
Molar mass	353.845 g/mol
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

Nile blue (or Nile blue A) is a stain used in biology and histology. It may be used with live or fixed cells, and imparts a blue colour to cell nuclei.

It may also be used in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy to stain for the presence of polyhydroxybutyrate granules in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. Boiling a solution of Nile blue with sulfuric acid produces Nile red (Nile blue oxazone).