Quantitation of Hæmagglutination by Enumeration of Free Cells by an Electronic Counter

Abstract

QUANTITATIVE hæmagglutination methods¹ based on the enumeration of free or unagglutinated cells have given valuable information on the reactions of the antigens and antibodies of several blood-group systems². These methods have had limited application, however, because of the tedium associated with visual counting techniques. To eliminate this objectionable feature, several investigators³ have used the model A Coulter electronic counter to measure hæmagglutination in terms of the numbers of total particles, that is, aggregates and free cells, present in an agglutinated sample. The degree of hæmagglutination is then generally expressed as the percentage reduction in the unagglutinated total cell count.