Cell Sizing: A Light Scattering Photometer for Rapid Volume Determination

Abstract

Theory predicts that small angle light scattering by spherical particles of 5 to 20 μ diam is nearly proportional to volume and insensitive to particle refractive index. A flow system photometer with helium-neon laser light source measures the scattering between 0.5 and 2.0° from individual particles at 104 to 105/min. Volume distributions of mammalian cells and plastic microspheres agree with other independent determinations.