
Millipore introduced Scepter, a handheld, automated cell counter, at the American Society of Cell Biology Annual Meeting in San Diego. Scepter miniaturizes Coulter cell counting technology found in much larger instruments into a portable device the size of an automated pipette. The instrument contains electronics for cell sensing, signal processing, and data storage. A graphical display reports the cell count and average cell volume within 20 seconds of inserting the tip into a cell culture sample. Currently, cells are typically counted manually under a microscope using a hemocytometer. However, loading a hemocytometer is a tedious task and variability in user technique can impact the accuracy and precision of results. Automated cell counters are available, but these bench top instruments are not portable and are considerably more expensive than the Scepter handheld cell counter. In addition to showing cell counts and average cell volume, the instrument also displays a histogram of cell distribution by volume or diameter. The histogram can be used to provide an instant snapshot of the health of the culture. Results can be stored on the instrument or downloaded to a computer. Millipore Corp., 800-645-5476, www.millipore.com