Methods of detecting specific cell lysis

A method of detecting specific lysis of a target cell, comprising:

• a) contacting a labeled viable target cell with a lytic agent, wherein the target cell is labeled with a first plasma membrane-labeling fluorescent dye that labels the plasma membrane of the target cell and a first cytosol-labeling fluorescent dye that labels the cytosol of the target cell;
• and
• b) determining the amount of the cytosol-labeling fluorescent dye remaining in the target cell, wherein a reduction in the amount of the cytosol-labeling fluorescent dye in the target cell when the target cell is contacted with the lytic agent, compared to the amount of cytosol-labeling fluorescent dye in a control target cell not contacted with the lytic agent, indicates that the target cell is lysed by the lytic agent, and wherein said first plasma membrane-labeling fluorescent dye has detectably different spectral properties from the first cytosol-labeling fluorescent dye such that the first plasma membrane-labeling fluorescent dye is distinguishable from the first cytosol-labeling fluorescent dye.