Just a general tech-note... if you have the clinical lab run your whole
blood samples through their automated counters, make sure you inform them
what species the sample is from.  You mentioned that you are working with
rats, so it should not be a problem with them getting an accurate WBC count.
In some species (i.e. birds) the RBCs are nucleated and will not completely
lyse with standard lysing reagents and therefore the RBCs could be
erroneously counted as WBCs giving a elevated count.  Regardless, it is
important that your hematology department knows the species of the sample
that you are asking them to run through their analyzer.

~ Ford

Ford M. Royer, MT(ASCP)
Histology Product Manager
Minnesota Medical, Inc.
7177 Madison Ave. W.
Golden Valley, MN 55427-3601
CELL:  612-839-1046
Phone:  763-542-8725
Fax:  763-546-4830
eMail:  froyer@bitstream.net

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Gayle Callis
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 3:22 PM
To: Poteete, Jacquie A.; Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] WBC counts

We purchase hemocytometers from Fisher  (Healthcare catalog) or VWR.  We 
still use them for lung lavage/washings from mice.  AND we do cell count 
aka differentials on Diff Quik (if you can get it without difficulty) 
stained murine lung lavage/cytospins.  If you have to do a differential on 
animal blood smears, buffy coats, Wright Giemsa stain is superb for this 
purpose, Harleco brand.

For a WBC count, contact a clinical laboratory to run the WBC counts on 
their automated counters, much more accurate and worth the cost.  It was 
painful to work with the RBC and WBC pipettes - HOORAY for modern 
technology and instrumentation.

At 01:38 PM 9/26/2006, you wrote:
>Good luck finding a hemacytometer and/or any calibrated pipettes.  Ours
>ended up in the display of "antique instruments and equipment".  That's
>the best place for them (speaking as an old dinosaur who actually
>learned how to use them).

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367
406 994-4303 (FAX)



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