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Cell counting accessories: chamber slides, reagents, light cubes, and more
Explore our comprehensive collection of accessories designed to complement and enhance the performance of automated cell counters. From chamber slides in a variety of pack sizes to reagents verified for use with the Countess 3 automated cell counters, we offer a diverse range of cell counting accessories crafted to help optimize cell counting workflows with varying research needs.
Chamber slides
To streamline your cell counting workflow, choose from our convenient disposable slides or cost-effective, environmentally friendly reusable slides. Each slide features dual chambers for duplicate or parallel sample counts, requiring only 10 µL of sample for fast and accurate results.
Ordering information
| Cat. No. | Description | Quantity | Includes |
| C10283 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 50 slides | No cell counting stain |
| C10228 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 50 slides | Trypan Blue stain, 2 x 1 mL vials |
| A40008469 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 50 slides | SafeCount stain, 2 x 1 mL vials |
| C10312 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 500 slides | Trypan Blue stain, 20 x 1 mL vials |
| C10313 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 1,250 slides | Trypan Blue stain, 100 mL bottle |
| C10314 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 2,500 slides | Trypan Blue stain, 100 mL bottle |
| C10315 | Disposable Cell Counting Chamber Slides | 5,000 slides | Trypan Blue stain, 2 x 100 mL bottles |
| A25750 | Reusable Countess Chamber Slides | 1 glass slide | No cell counting stain |
Viability stains for Countess 3 automated cell counters
Colorimetric cell viability stains
SafeCount Cell Viability Stain represents a significant advancement in cell viability assessment, offering a non-toxic alternative to Trypan Blue for cell counting applications. Like Trypan Blue, SafeCount functions as a membrane integrity exclusion dye while reducing associated safety and handling concerns and providing comparable cell count and viability measurements (Figures 1 and 2).
Unlike Trypan Blue, SafeCount is free of precipitates, improving clarity and consistency for more reliable cell counts (Figure 3). Trypan Blue staining measures cell viability by distinguishing dead cells from live ones, enabling accurate counts (Figure 4).
Figure 1. U2OS cells counted in brightfield on a Countess 3 FL Automated Cell Counter using SafeCount Cell Viability Stain.
Figure 2. U2OS cells counted in brightfield on a Countess 3 FL Automated Cell Counter using Trypan Blue Solution that was centrifuged at 5,000 g for 5 minutes prior to use.
Figure 3. Jurkat cells counted in brightfield on a Countess 3 FL Automated Cell Counter using SafeCount Cell Viability Stain.
Figure 4. Jurkat cells were counted in brightfield using a Countess 3 FL Automated Cell Counter with Trypan Blue staining, without prior centrifugation.
Note: The presence of additional precipitates are erroneously detected and counted as cells.
Ordering information
Fluorescent cell viability stains
When counting difficult cell samples, your workflow may require more than brightfield cell counting. Using Invitrogen ReadyCount cell viability stains, you can obtain cell-selective staining despite the presence of debris in primary cell samples. ReadyCount stains allow for the specific staining of nucleated cells within a mixed population, thereby reducing complexity and improving count-to-count and sample-to-sample repeatability (Figure 5).
Figure 5. ReadyCount cell viability stains paired with EVOS light cubes enable clear identification of fluorescently labeled cell populations by channel. A) U937 cells stained with ReadyCount Viability Stain show live cells as GFP-positive and dead cells as Texas Red-positive. B) U2OS cells stained with ReadyCount Dead Cell Stain enable determination of total cell concentration and percent dead based on Texas Red fluorescence. C) Jurkat cells stained with ReadyCount Nuclear Stain display cell concentration via DAPI-positive nuclei. Following optimization of illumination, gating, and use of preset protocols, accurate counts help provide reliable quantification of fluorescent cell populations.
ReadyCount selection guide
| Cat. No. | Product | When to use | Light cubes needed |
| A49905 | ReadyCount Green/Red Cell Viability Stain | Stains nucleated cells, simultaneously measuring live and dead cells; improves accuracy for single-cell or RNA-seq experiments. | Texas Red or RFP |
| A49903 | ReadyCount Red Dead Cell Stain | Stains dead nucleated cells; useful for cell health monitoring and apoptosis/cell death research. | GFP and Texas Red or RFP |
| A49904 | ReadyCount Blue Nuclear Stain | Stains dead nucleated cells; useful when working with debris-laden samples or complex morphology. | DAPI |
Counting reference slide
The ready-to-use Countess 3 Standard Slide serves as a functional reference for viability and cell counts. It contains 0.5–1.5 × 10⁸/mL permanently mounted 15 µm microspheres within a cell counting chamber. When viewed in brightfield using the Countess 3 or Countess 3 FL automated cell counters, these microspheres mimic the appearance of a 1:1 mixture of live and dead cells stained with a colorimetric cell viability stain (Figure 6). The permanently mounted microspheres on the Countess 3 Standard Slide will have minimal variability from one count to the next. You can use the slide as a functional reference for cell counts and viability across days or among multiple Countess 3 instruments. The slide is reusable.
When viewed on the Countess 3 FL Automated Cell Counter, the microspheres are also fluorescent in a 1:1 mixture, helping provide approximately 50% detection with a DAPI or GFP light cube and approximately 50% detection with an RFP, Texas Red, or Cy5 light cube. The 50% fluorescence populations are shown in both single- and dual-channel fluorescence counting (Figure 7).
Figure 6. Viewed in brightfield mode, the microspheres on the Standard Slide mimic approximately 50% live and 50% dead cells with a concentration between 0.5 and 1.5 x 106 cells/mL.
Figure 7. Viewed in fluorescence mode, the microspheres on the Standard Slide mimic approximately 50% blue/green and 50% red cells with a concentration between 0.5 and 1.5 x 1041cells/mL. The blue/green spheres can be viewed with a GFP or DAPI light cube and the red spheres with RFP, Texas Red, or Cy5. A small percentage of spheres will fluoresce in both colors.
Ordering information
Fluorescent light cubes
The Countess 3 FL Automated Cell Counter extends beyond simple cell counting by using fluorescence to assess cell viability, apoptosis, transfection efficiency, single-cell characteristics, and fluorescent protein expression.
Its fluorescence capabilities let you easily visualize fluorescent proteins and run apoptosis or proliferation assays directly in your cell culture room. EVOS LED light cubes offer cost-efficient, environmentally friendly, and spectrally optimized illumination, giving you precise control with minimal maintenance and reliable performance. You can also interchange these light cubes with our line of EVOS imaging systems, enabling flexibility and consistency across your workflow.
Quality, compliance, and service
All Countess 3 and Countess 3 FL automated cell counters include a standard 1-year warranty covering parts, labor, and shipping for repairs. Users can also purchase a service plan to extend coverage to three years—helping reduce maintenance costs, maximize uptime, and extend instrument life. All Countess 3 systems also offer optional qualification services, including Installation Qualification (IQ) and Operational Qualification (OQ), to verify instrument performance and support regulatory compliance.
The optional Countess SAE Software Solution enables 21 CFR Part 11-compliant electronic record keeping with features such as user access controls, audit trails, and e-signature workflows.
Cell culture products
Start your cell culture with confidence
Our Gibco, Thermo Scientific Nunc, and Invitrogen cell culture products help you to achieve reproducible results and successful research outcomes—every day.
Explore our portfolio of cell culture media, FBS, plastics and transfection solutions to support the growth and maintenance of a variety of mammalian cells and cell lines.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.