Digitonin is widely used in biochemical research for its ability to solubilize membrane proteins. It selectively binds to cholesterol in cell membranes, making it a valuable tool for extracting membrane-bound proteins without denaturing them. This property is particularly useful in studies involving membrane receptor isolation and purification. Additionally, digitonin is employed in permeabilizing cell membranes, allowing researchers to access intracellular components for experiments such as immunostaining or enzyme activity assays. Its application extends to the study of mitochondrial function, where it is used to selectively permeabilize the outer mitochondrial membrane while leaving the inner membrane intact.