Effect of sample volume on cell recovery in cytocentrifugation

The purpose of this study was to improve cell recovery and distribution in cytocentrifugation by optimizing sample volume. The experimental design used equal cell numbers in different diluent volumes from 25 to 500 microL. As the diluent volume increased, the fractional recovery of cells also increased, from 10% to a virtual 100%, even though the number of cells per sample remained constant. Optimal cell recovery was achieved with sample volumes between 200 and 500 microL. The importance of using a 200-microL volume with samples of high cellularity as well as those of low cellularity, such as cerebrospinal fluid, is discussed.