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Counting grids
The types of counting chambers differ in counting grids and the depths of the
chambers. Orthogonal lines form grids which become visible by magnifying
them with a microscope. The grid of a counting chamber is engraved into the
surface of its base.
Neubauer-improved
Nowadays the Neubauer-improved counting chambers has become the most
popular one.
Its standard depth is 0.1 mm. The grid consists of 3 x 3 large squares with
areas of 1 mm² each. The large square in the center is subdivided into
5 x 5 group squares with edges of each 0.2 mm length and areas of
0.04 mm². These group squares are again subdivided into sixteen small
squares of an area of each 0.05 mm x 0.05 mm = 0.0025 mm².
The lines limiting the large squares and the group squares are threefold with
the central line as the actual dimension lines. The inner and outer auxiliary lines
facilitate counting. They assist determining whether cells near or on the border
lines are to be counted as within the area or omitted as outside of the
counting area.
As the counting chamber comes with differently large squares it can be used
for counting different types of cells. E.g. leucocytes are counted in the 4 large
squares at the corners of the grid and normally for counting erythrocytes at
least 5 group squares are used.
Dark line:
The grids of dark line counting chambers
are engraved into the glass surface
of the base of the chamber. When looking
through a microscope these lines
appear to be dark.
Neubauer-improved dark line
0.2
1 mm
0.25 0.2
1 mm
0.0050.005
1 mm 1 mm
0.05
0.2
1 mm
0.25 0.2
1 mm
0.0050.005
1 mm 1 mm
0.05
0.2
1 mm
0.25 0.2
1 mm
0.0050.005
1 mm 1 mm
0.05
Depth = 0.1 mm □ mm x mm / 1 □ mm² / 1 □ Vol. [µl]
Total net ruling 1 3 x 3 9 0.9
Large squares per grid 9 1 x 1 1 0.1
Group squares per large square 25 0.2 x 0.2 0.04 0.004
Small squares per group square 16 0.05 x 0.05 0.0025 0.00025
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The depth of the Neubauer chamber is
0.1 mm.
Its net ruling covers 3 mm x 3 mm in
total and consists of 9 large squares of
1 mm².
The central large square is subdivided
in 4 x 4 group squares of 0.2 x 0.2 mm².
Triple lines in a distance of 0.025 mm
separate the group squares from each
other. Each group square is subdivided
in 16 small squares of 0.05 mm side
length.
Neubauer
0.25 1 mm0.025 0.05
3 mm
0.2
1 mm
0.05 0.025
Neubauer
Neubauer
0,25 1 mm0,025 0,05
3 mm
0,2
1 mm
0,05 0,025
Neubauer
0.25 1 mm0.025 0.05
3 mm
0.2
1 mm
0.05 0.025
Depth = 0.1 mm □ mm x mm / 1 □ mm² / 1 □ mm³ = µl
Total net ruling 1 3 x 3 9 0.9
Large squares per grid 9 1 x 1 1 0.1
Group squares per large square 16 0.2 x 0.2 0.04 0.004
Small squares per group square 16 0.05 x 0.05 0.0025 0.00025
Bright line:
The grids of counting chambers with
bright lines are engraved into a thin,
vapour-deposited metal film. The bright
lines contrast well with the darker, metallic
background which facilitates the
evaluation.
bauer improved HL
0.2
1 mm
0.25 0.2
1 mm
0.0050.005
1 mm 1 mm
Neubauer-improved bright line
Neubauer improved HL
0,2
1 mm
0,25 0,2
1 mm
0,0050,005
1 mm 1 mm
Neubauer improved HL
0.2
1 mm
0.25 0.2
1 mm
0.0050.005
1 mm 1 mm
Depth = 0.1 mm □ mm x mm / 1 □ mm² / 1 □ Vol. [µl]
Total net ruling 1 3 x 3 9 0.9
Large squares per grid 9 1 x 1 1 0.1
Group squares per large square 25 0.2 x 0.2 0.04 0.004
Small squares per group square 16 0.05 x 0.05 0.0025 0.00025
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1 mm
0.2
1 mm
Bürker Türk
0.050.0250.025
1 mm1 mm
0.0250.2 0.05
The depth of the Buerker-Tuerk chamber
is 0.1 mm. The counting grid covers
9 mm² and is subdivided by triple lines
into 9 large squares.
Each of these large squares is subdivided
into 16 small squares by double
lines with a space of 0.05 mm between
them. The inner lines of these small
squares form areas of 0.2 x 0.2 mm².
Additionally to the Buerker chamber
the 16 small square of the central large
square are subdivided again into
16 squares with 0.05 mm length of the
edge and an area of 0.0025 mm².
Buerker-Tuerk
1 mm
0,2
1 mm
Bürker Türk
0,050,0250,025
1 mm1 mm
0,0250,2 0,05
Depth = 0.1 mm □ mm x mm / 1 □ mm² / 1 □ mm³ = µl
Total net ruling 1 3 x 3 9 0.9
Large squares per grid 9 1 x 1 1 0.1
Small squares per large square 16 0.2 x 0.2 0.04 0.004
Smallest squares per small square 16 0.05 x 0.05 0.0025 0.00025
1 mm
0.2
1 mm
Bürker Türk
0.050.0250.025
1 mm1 mm
0.0250.2 0.05
The depth of the Buerker counting
chamber is 0.1 mm. Its counting grid covers
9 mm² and is subdivided by triple
lines into 9 large squares. The distances
between the middle lines are 1 mm.
Each of these large squares is subdivided
into 16 small squares by double
lines with a space of 0.05 mm between
them. The inner lines of these small
squares form areas of 0.2 x 0.2 mm².
The crossings of the double lines form
small squares of 0.05 x 0.05 mm². These
squares are suitable for counting thrombocytes
and erythrocytes.
Buerker
0.2
1 mm
0.2
1 mm
0.05
Bürker
0.050.025
1 mm1 mm
0.025
Depth = 0,1 mm □ mm x mm / 1 □ mm² / 1 □ mm³ = µl
Total net ruling 1 3 x 3 9 0.9
Large squares per grid 9 1 x 1 1 0.1
Small squares per Large square 16 0.2 x 0.2 0.04 0.004
0,2
1 mm
0,2
1 mm
0,05
Bürker
0,050,025
1 mm1 mm
0,0250.2
1 mm
0.2
1 mm
0.05
Bürker
0.050.025
1 mm1 mm
0.025
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Thoma neu
0.05
1.1 mm
0.1
0.2
0.05
1.1mm
0.1
0.2
0.05
1 mm
0.25
1 mm
0.25
1 mm
-Rosenthal
0.025
1 mm 1 mm 1 mm
The depth of the Thoma new counting
chamber is 0.1 mm. The grid covers an
area of 1.1 x 1.1 mm². It is subdivided
in 16 group squares with a side length
of 0.2 mm.
These group squares have a distance of
0.1 mm to the adjacent group squares.
Theyaresubdividedinto16smallsquares.
Fuchs-Rosenthal
Thoma new
The depth of the Fuchs-Rosenthal
counting chamber is 0.2 mm. In total
the grid covers 16 mm² and contains 16
large squares of each 1 mm length of
the edge. These large squares are separated
by triple lines with a space of
0.01 mm between each other. The distance
between the center lines is 1 mm.
All 16 large squares are subdivided into
16 small squares of a side length of
0.25 mm.
Due to the large counting grid and
a depth of 0.2 mm the total volume
amounts to 3.2 µl. This counting chamber
is, therefore, preferably used for
counting cell suspensions with relatively
few cells, e.g. cerebro-spinal fluid.
Depth = 0.1 mm □ mm x mm / 1 □ mm² / 1 □ mm³ = µl
Total net ruling 1 4 x 4 16 3.2
Large squares per grid 16 1 x 1 1 0.2
Small squares per large square 16 0.25 x 0.25 0.0625 0.0125
0,25
1 mm
0,25
1 mm
Fuchs-Rosenthal
0,025
1 mm 1 mm 1 mm
0.25
1 mm
0.25
1 mm
Fuchs-Rosenthal
0.025
1 mm 1 mm 1 mm
Thoma neu
0.05
1.1 mm
0.1
0.2
0.05
1.1mm
0.1
0.2
0.05
1 mm
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The depth of the Malassez counting
chamber is 0.2 mm The counting grid
covers 2 x 2.5 mm². The large rectangles
have an area of 0.25 x 0.20 =
0.05 mm². Each of them is subdivided
into 20 small squares with an area of
each 0.05 mm x 0.05 mm = 0.0025 mm².
This counting chamber is used for counting
cells in liquor (cerebro-spinal fluid)
and for counting nematodes for example.
10 mm
5mm
0.25
0.02
0.01
10mm
Nageotte
0.2 0.05
0.6
0.2
0.05
0.25mm
2 mm
0.250.25
2.5mm
0.2
0.05
Malassez
The depth of the Nageotte counting
chamber is 0.5 mm.
The square area of 100 mm² is divided
into 40 rectangles each with an area
of 0.25 x 10 = 2.5 mm². This counting
chamber is mainly used for counting
cells in cerebro-spinal fluid or for counting
nematodes.
0.025 0.05
1 mm
0.0250.05
1 mm
0.25
The depth of the Thoma counting chamber
is 0.1 mm The grid covers an area
of 1 x 1 mm².
It is subdivided into group squares with
a side length of 0.2 mm (like the Neubauer
system).
The group squares are subdivided into
16 small squares of an area of 0.05 mm
x 0.05 mm = 0.0025 mm².
Thoma
0,025 0,05
1 mm
0,0250,05
1 mm
0,25 0.025 0.05
1 mm
0.0250.05
1 mm
0.25
0.2 0.05
0.6
0.2
0.05
0.25mm
2 mm
0.250.25
2.5mm
0.2
0.05