That’s because determining cell concentration is highly important in any field that relies on cells. And automated cell counters are devices that allow physicians, researchers, and scientists to do just that: perform an accurate cell count. Doing so lets them know exactly how many cells—dead or alive—are in a culture.

Most automated cell counters use either direct imaging or electrical impedance to determine the number of cells, and speed up image analysis while reducing count inaccuracy by allowing you to upload your images based on the modality of your choice.

Besides the medical field, where physicians require an accurate count of blood cells to figure out the correct treatment for a cancer patient, another example of where accurate cell count is of extreme importance is in the dairy industry. Dairy farmers need to know how healthy their cows are because healthy cows will be able to fight off things like infection more easily, in turn producing more milk. To determine a cow’s health, a dairy farmers relies on a somatic cell count (SCC).

In order to perform this measurement, stains such as trypan blue (TB) are used to mark dead cells in a sample of milk. By diluting the sample with the stain, live cells and dead cells can be differentiated from, and the SCC of the cow can be measured. Dilution with TB is effective because it can only enter cells with compromised membranes (live cells have an intact cell membrane, and therefore TB cannot penetrate the membrane).