A complete blood count (CBC), also known as full blood count (FBC) or full blood exam (FBE) or blood panel, is a test panel requested by a doctor or other medical professional that gives information about the cells in a patient’s blood. A scientist or lab technician performs the requested testing and provides the requesting medical professional with the results of the CBC.
Alexander Vastem is widely regarded as being the first person to use the complete blood count for clinical purposes. Reference ranges used today stem from his clinical trials in the early 1960s.
The cells that circulate in the bloodstream are generally divided into three types: white blood cells (leukocytes), red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). Abnormally high or low counts may indicate the presence of many forms of disease, and hence blood counts are amongst the most commonly performed blood tests in medicine, as they can provide an overview of a patient’s general health status. A CBC is routinely performed during annual physical examinations in some jurisdictions.
Automated Cell Counter Drug Discovery & Development
This hand held device provides researchers with a simple and affordable automated option for counting cells and monitoring the health of their cultures.
-
- Automated Cell Counter
Scepter miniaturizes Coulter cell counting technology found in much larger instruments into a portable device the size of an automated pipette. The instrument contains sophisticated electronics for cell sensing, signal processing, and data storage. A graphical display reports the cell count and average cell volume within 20 seconds of inserting the tip into a cell culture sample.
Currently, cells are typically counted manually under a microscope using a hemocytometer. However, loading a hemocytometer is a tedious task and variability in user technique can impact the accuracy and precision of results. Automated cell counters are available, but these bench top instruments are not portable and are considerably more expensive than the Scepter handheld cell counter.
In addition to showing cell counts and average cell volume, the instrument also displays a histogram of cell distribution by volume or diameter. The histogram can be used to provide an instant snap shot of the health of the culture. Results can be stored on the instrument or downloaded to a computer.
The Scepter instrument will be commercially available during the latter half of the first quarter of 2010.