Synthetic Thymidine Analog Labeling without Misconceptions.

Tagging proliferating cells with thymidine analogs is an indispensable research tool; however, the issue of the potential in vivo cytotoxicity of these compounds remains unresolved. Here, we address these concerns by examining the effects of BrdU and EdU on adult hippocampal neurogenesis and EdU on the perinatal somatic development of mice. We show that, in a wide range of doses, EdU and BrdU label similar numbers of cells in the dentate gyrus shortly after administration.