Definition: a device for counting microscopic objects suspended in fluid, as cells and platelets in dilute whole blood or bacteria in broth culture. It consists of a microscope slide containing a shallow cavity of uniform depth the floor of which is ruled with a grid and which, when closed with a cover glass, holds a precise volume of fluid. A calculation based on the number of objects counted within the grid lines, the dilution of the fluid, and the volume of the counting chamber yields an estimate of the concentration of objects in the fluid before dilution.
See Also: hemocytometer
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Examples: glitazone, GI cocktail, etc.