The tetrazolium dye, 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), is reduced by live but not dead cell, and this reaction is used as the end point in a rapid drug screening assay. It can also be used for accurate determinations of drug sensitivity but only if a quantative relationship is established between cell number and MTT-formazan production. Several conditions were examined to devise an in vitro assay method in primary cultured hepatocytes, such as optimum wavelength, optimal MTT concentration, optimal incubation time, and cell density.