Cell structure and percent viability by a slide centrifuge technique.

Abstract
A slide centrifuge (Cytospin) preparation of a cell suspension allowed a reliable assessment of not only cell structure but also the percentage of non-viable cells. The nonviable cells appeared as smear cells and paralleled in number the cells taking up trypan blue. Direct experiment showed the unstained viable cells in a trypan blue cell suspension remained intact in a Cytospin preparation while the cells taking up trypan blue were the smear cells. The non-viability of the smear cells was confirmed by their inability to survive in culture.