Please click on this link http://vlab.amrita.edu/?sub=3&brch=188&sim=336&cnt=309 (Links to an external site.) to watch an animation of performing a hemacytometer cell count.

After viewing the animation, please use this link for a virtual hemacytometer counting experiment: http://vlab.amrita.edu/?sub=3&brch=188&sim=336&cnt=4 (Links to an external site.)

Once you’ve entered the site in Simulator mode, you can begin the counting experiment.

First, click on the bi-ocular control on the bottom left. This will give you a close up view of the hemacytometer counting area. Use either the 40X or 100X buttons to do your count. Use the arrows on the black dials to move your microscope view around the hemacytometer. Blue stained cells are viable and you will enter your counts in the left column. Dead cells are colorless and you will enter those counts in the right column. You will do your counts in the four large corner squares which were designated W in the lesson we covered in lecture.

Once your counts are entered, the system will calculate the total number of cells, % cell viability, number of viable cells/square and viable cells/ml. Take a photo of your counts in this assignment to get credit for this assignment.

Please remember not to count any cells that are at least half or more than half on the triple line borders. Do not count any cells outside the triple line borders.