Overview: manual cell counting and automated cell counters
To count or not to count ? Often, that's the question. However, you should realize that counting cells is a necessary and potent measure to culture stock and experimental cell cultures in a standardized and reproducible fashion. Counting may give you much more insight than just the number of cells . Setting up a growth curve and just adding your values on a weekly basis may make your understanding of what is going on in the dish -e.g. before an experiment fails - a crucial asset to save time, money and frustration. Besides the classical manual coutinng using a hemocytomerter (e.g. Neubauer chamber), there are now several automated systems available.
Comparison of cell counting systems
Type of count | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Manual |
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Chamber system
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Capillary system
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Manual cell counting in a hemocytometer (e.g. Neubauer or Thoma chamber)
Manual counting in a hemocytometer is the cheapest variant of cell counting. There are several types of counting chambers depending on the intended use. In cell culture, most often the Neubauer improved or Thoma improved chambers are used. Chambers may be purchased from different distributers. A good overview over the counting patterns (with German explanations) is given here: Optik Labor.
However, this type of counting is the hardest to standardize. Especially, results between personnel differ greatly as the counting is based on subjective decisions (inside/outside, dead/alive, cell/debris). In addition, in many cases not enough squares are counted and the result is accordingly , less statistically reliable.
Automated counting
A large array of counters is available at the moment. The types range from counter "only" to more sophisticated machines that may perform additional functions. Below, you can see a comparison of machines divided into measurement types. Please note, that we have decided to compare automated microscopes and impedance machines under the point "cell analysis".