DETERMINATION OF THE CONCENTRATION OF EUKARYOTIC CELLS FROM THEIR INTEGRAL FLUORESCENCE

A proportional relationship was established between the total luminesc ence intensity of eukaryotic cells trapped on membrane filters and sta ined with fluorescent dyes and the number of cells present on the spec imen area corresponding to the size of the cytofluorometric unit probe . An integral fluorescent method was developed that allows determinati on of the concentration of somatic cells in milk samples with the help of a calibration curve constructed on the basis of counting yeast cel ls. The method allows determination of the cell concentration in a ran ge of 1 x 10(5) - 5 x 10(6) cells/ml. The results obtained with the in tegral fluorescent method are compared with data of direct visual coun ting and with readings of an automatic FOSSOMATIC device.