Definition of hemocytometer:
Definition of hemocytometer:
An instrument for counting blood cells [1]
A hemocytometer is a glass slide with grid originally designed for manual blood cell counting using a microscope. A calibrated grid is placed over the culture chamber, and the number of cells per grid square is counted [2]. With further development, different grid patterns and depth have been developed to count different sizes and types of cells.
How hemocytometer was made
In early medical practices, the importance of counting blood cells started to become noticeable as cell analysis was found to provide useful information such as disease progression. In the mid-nineteenth century, Louis-Charles Malassez (1842-1909) invented a haemoglobinometer, an instrument for the colorimetric determination of hemoglobin in blood, which is very close to the hemocytometer we know of and has contributed to the development of hemocytometer. Georges Hayem (1841-1933) also became an important contributor to the field of hematology who is known as the inventor of hemocytometer we still use today for manual blood cell counting. Since then, the depth of chamber and grid patterns have consistently improved for better and efficient cell counting [2].
Why is grid pattern important?
Hemocytometer has two separate chambers where grid is etched and samples are loaded. Below is the image of Neubauer Improved (NI) ruled hemocytometer consisting of 9 major squares of 1 mm x 1 mm in size with four squares equally divided into 4 x 4 grids [3]. The importance of acknowledging the different grid patterns and sizes are to choose the right hemocytometer for your cell samples. These corner squares are used to count larger cells such as white blood cells (WBCs) whereas the center square that is subdivided into 16 smaller squares is for smaller cells such as red blood cells (RBCs) [4,5].
Central square
The central square, having the most subdivided grid, is where smaller cells and cells in larger quantities are counted. It is divided into 5 x 5 grids and subdivided into 4 x 4 grids. Cells in size of 10 um or smaller are counted in the central square.
Corner squares
The four corner squares are divided into 4 x 4 grids in size of 0.25 mm each. Cells that are 10 um or larger are counted in these areas.
Besides NI grid, other types of grid pattern are as follows:
>Malassez: the first verison hemocytometert named after its inventor, Louis Charles Malassez
>Burker-Turk: for bacteria
>Fuchs-Rosenthal: for cells in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
>Jessen: for cells in CSF and urine
Now the question you might have is the specific types of sample counted using a hemocytometer and its principle. As it is known to count various cells such as algae, yeast, cancer cells, stem cells, cultured cells and blood-based cells, and counting method may be the next thing to consider.
[C-chip (4ch)]
Disposable hemocytometer
Specifications
Cat. No. | Grid | Chamber depth (um) | Loading volume (uL) |
|---|---|---|---|
DHC-N04 | Neubauer Improved (NI) | 100 | 10 |
DHC-B04 | Burker Turk (BT) | 100 | 10 |
DHC-F04 | Fuchs Rosenthal (FR) | 200 | 20 |
No cover slip | No washing | No exposure to hazardous materials
[C-chip (2ch)]
Disposable hemocytometer
Specifications
Cat. No. | Grid | Chamber depth (um) | Loading volume (uL) |
|---|---|---|---|
DHC-N01 | Neubauer Improved (NI) | 100 | 10 |
DHC-B01 | Burker (B) | 100 | 10 |
DHC-B02 | Burker Turk (BT) | 100 | 10 |
DHC-F01 | Fuchs Rosenthal (FR) | 200 | 20 |
DHC-M01 | Malassez (MA) | 200 | 20 |
No cover slip | No washing | No exposure to hazardous materials
Applicable for Blood analysis & cell counting (viability) | Cell culture | Microbiology
[S-chip]
Disposable cell counting chamber
Specifications
Cat. No. | Grid | Chamber depth (um) | Loading volume (uL) |
|---|---|---|---|
DCS-S01 | Negative | 20 | 2 to 3 |
No cover slip | No washing | No exposure to hazardous materials
Applicable for Sperm counting
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