Automated Cell Counter - an Overview
Automated cell counting has been on the rise for several years and is the current state of the art, at least in the industry. The reason behind this is due to the advantages of automated counting over the classical counting with a Neubauer chamber or Thoma chamber. On this page we try to give an overview of automated cell counting and present a comparison of counter suppliers. For those who want to buy a counter, we want to point out advantages and disadvantages and provide support in choosing a cell counter. Of course, we can only provide the information we receive from manufacturers and users. If you have had positive or negative experience with your counter, we are looking forward to your feedback or comments by mail or phone. Cell counting is an essential basis for controlling cellular growth via growth curves. For this reason, counting methods and automated cell counters are topics in our Cell Culture Basic Course and in the advanced training courses Cell Culture Bioassays and QM in Cell Culture. |
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Topic of this cell counter overview
Brief overview of cell counter manufactures and suppliers |
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Advantages of Automated Cell Counting
- Reproducible, person-independent and objective measurement
- Work simplification with a high sample throughput
- Additional measurement parameters such as size, aggregation factor and homogeneity of cells
- Automatic calculation of cell count/mL and % live cells
- Usually statistically better data because larger volumes of cell suspensions are counted
- Partial live/dead determination of cells without toxic trypan blue
- Depending on the instrument, combinations of different measurement methods such as fluorescence-labeled cells or trypan blue are possible
- Easy to validate
Disadvantages of Automated Cell Counting
- High to medium investment costs
- Maintenance costs
- Depending on device cheap to expensive consumables
Brief overview of cell counter manufactures and suppliers
Cell Counting System | Manufacturer | Device |
Optics-based counter | ||
Bright-field microscopy | 4 Bio Cell | 4Bio CellCount Pro |
Roche CustomBiotech | Cedex HiRes® Analyzer | |
Logos Biosystems | LUNA-II™ | |
DeNovix | CellDrop BF | |
Nexolom | Cellometer Mini | |
Cellometer Auto T4 | ||
Bio-Rad | TC-20 | |
CytoSmart | Exact BF | |
Thermo Fisher Scientific | Invitrogen Countess 3 | |
NanoEntek | EVE™ Plus | |
EVETM HT | ||
Beckman Coulter | Vi-Cell™ BLU | |
Fluorescence microscopy | DeNovix | CellDrop FL |
ChemoMetec | NucleoCounter® NC-250™ | |
NucleoCounter® NC-202™ | ||
NucleoCounter® NC-200™ | ||
CytoSmart | Exact FL | |
Logos Biosystem | LUNA-FX7 | |
LUNA-FL | ||
LUNA-STEM | ||
Nexolom | Cellometer Spectrum | |
Cellometer K2 | ||
Cellometer Auto 2000 | ||
Thermo Fisher Scientific | Countess 3 FL | |
NanoEntek | Adam -MC2 | |
Adam -CellT | ||
Holographic microscopy | Anvajo | Fluidlab R-300 |
Impendance based counter | ||
Amphasys | Ampha Z40 | |
OMNI Life Science Bremen | CASY | |
Beckman Coulter | Multisizer 4e | |
Merck Millipore | Scepter™ 3.0 |
Optical-based cell counters
Basically, the optical-based cell counters are small, automated microscopes optimized for the purpose. The cells are injected into a flow cell and evaluated with the aid of a digital camera and intelligent image evaluation software.
The devices available on the market differ fundamentally in their equipment. Classic chamber systems where the user can choose from different staining agents such as trypan blue (bright-field microscopy) and acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) for fluorescence microscopy are available on the market in a wide variety. In the meantime, there is also a device that uses holographic microscopy and thus completely dispenses with dyes. . |
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Bright-field Microscopy Cell Counter
These instruments use the classical method of cell counting. Here, the sample is mixed with trypan blue or erythrosin B and analyzed. Trypan blue stains dead cells because their cell membrane is permeable to the dye, while living cells are not stained. Since trypan blue is toxic to cells, living cells will also be stained if the sample is not analyzed within a certain time frame. Therefore, when selecting the cell counting instrument, it is important how quickly after mixing with trypan blue the sample is measured.
Supplier | ||
Production | ||
ISO | ||
Imaging method | ||
Resolution (pixel) | ||
Cell count / mL | ||
Viability | ||
Size distribution | ||
Aggregation analysis | ||
Sample volume | ||
Counted volume | ||
Measuring time | ||
Measurement accuracy | reproducibility | ||
Cell size range | ||
Cell concentration | ||
Multi determination | ||
Suitable for | ||
Price | ||
Consumables | ||
Maintenance | ||
Introduction | ||
GMP complaint | ||
Data analysis | ||
Computer system & specification | ||
Advantages | ||
Disadvantages |
Fluorescence Microscopy Cell Counter
In principle, these systems function in exactly the same way as the chamber systems with trypan blue. However, the cells are stained with fluorescent dyes. This type of staining avoids the problem of false positive staining with trypan blue when the samples stand longer. Thus, one can prepare several samples, let them stand longer and then measure them.
If the instruments measure green fluorescence, they can of course also be used to measure transfection efficiencies and the like. However, this function is of course clearly reflected in the price. Therefore, you should only buy such a device if you regularly perform fluorescence measurements in addition to cell counting or if other measurement principles produce poor results with your own cells.
Impendance-based Counters
Electrically based cell counters measure the change in electrical conductivity between two electrodes through which a constant electrical current flows. If a particle passes through the capillary, the conductivity changes. These devices work according to the impedance principle (ISO 13319). The cellular components of blood are electrical non-conductors. If they are diluted in an electrically conductive liquid and this suspension is passed through a capillary through which a constant electric current flows, the electrical resistance changes when a cell passes through. The change in resistance is simultaneously proportional to the size of the passing cell. Thus, the concentration (number) of cells in the solution and the volume of the individual cells can be determined simultaneously. |
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