Question

3) A 1:400 dilution was used to dilute RBCs and count them. However, a 1:50 dilution was used for the WBC count. Why is there such a drastic difference between the two dilution factors? In other words, why do RBCs need a great dilution factor than WBCs? Lab

Answer 1

Density is different

Step-by-step explanation:

Blood counts are often done to check the status and the blood profile and characteristics of an individual or a test subject organism. The density of the Red Blood Cells (RBCs) is considerably higher than the density of the White Blood Cells (WBCs) so the RBCs need to be diluted with Turks solution at a much higher ratio than the WBC that requires dilution by Hayem’s solution. The concentration of RBCs in the blood is around 4-6 x 109 cells/mL and 4-10 x 106 cells/mL for WBC. A single drop of blood is good enough for over 200 cell counts.