Used as a vital reagent in cell viability and proliferation assays, particularly in tetrazolium-based assay formats such as the MTT assay. It serves as an electron acceptor that is reduced by metabolically active cells into a colored formazan product, which can be quantified spectrophotometrically. This allows researchers to assess cell health, cytotoxicity, and the effectiveness of pharmaceutical compounds in vitro. Due to its ability to penetrate cell membranes and undergo enzymatic reduction primarily in mitochondria, it is widely employed in cancer research, drug screening, and toxicology studies. The presence of the cyanophenyl and methoxyphenyl groups enhances solubility and stability, improving assay sensitivity and reproducibility.