The burden of manual cell counting for biotech, biopharm, and other life science lab technicians has been alleviated by the introduction of a new user-friendly and cost-effective cell counter instrument.

The Olympus Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) portable Cell Counter model R1 was engineered with leading-edge liquid lens autofocus technology. This technology mimics the performance of the human eye and is able to differentiate between living and dead cells and between single cells and cell clusters. Capitalizing on this technology, the user can adjust the minimum and maximum cell size so that only the desired cells are detected.

The instrument, which uses disposable slides with two chambers so that each slide can be used to make two separate cell counts, boasts a seven inch touch screen with intuitive interface, and is power by a sophisticated software package. The program is easily optimized and features cell size and roundness-based sorting capabilities, the ability to identify live and dead cells, clumped cell declustering, and automatic dilution calculator. Counts can be displayed as a histogram for analyzing certain size cells based on size distribution.

The R1 is able to store up to 1,000 counts and 300 different cell protocols for quick set-up and counting for routine culturing procedures. Result reporting is straightforward, and results are saved as CSV (Comma Separated Value) files that can be exported using a portable USB "disk-on-key" drive.

The R1 weighs only 2.1 kilograms and is small enough to fit into almost any workspace. The handle on the top of the counter makes it easy to transport, and a storage space for the AC adapter is conveniently built into the back of the counter.

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Olympus Corporation