Final answer:
Blood should sit in diluent for 10 minutes prior to being added to a hemocytometer and is good for use up to 6 hours once prepared. During the hour in the tube, clotting occurs, allowing serum to be separated and harvested. Understanding the lifecycle of blood cells is crucial for accurate analysis using the hemocytometer.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer how long you must let blood sit in diluent before adding it to a hemocytometer, and how long it is typically good for once prepared: Blood should generally sit in diluent for 10 minutes before being added to a hemocytometer. Once prepared, the blood mixture is typically good for up to 6 hours for effective use and analysis. Option C) is the most appropriate answer, which indicates you should let blood sit for 10 minutes; it's good for 6 hours. During the hour that the blood sample was in the glass tube as mentioned in the reference, the process of coagulation would have taken place, leading to the formation of a clot and the subsequent separation of serum from the clot. The serum can then be harvested for various types of biochemical analysis, while the clot contains the cellular components of the blood. The detailed references about blood cells' lifespan, hemopoiesis, and how erythrocytes are processed in the body provide an understanding of the cycle and renewal of blood components. It's important to note that once mixed with a diluent for use with a hemocytometer, the sample should be used within the stability time frame to ensure accurate cell count and analysis as the viability of cells can degrade over time.