What is cell dilution?
Cell dilution is a standard laboratory procedure used to reduce the concentration of cells in a suspension. This is often necessary before seeding cells for experiments, flow cytometry, or counting them under a microscope.
The C1V1 = C2V2 formula
The fundamental equation used for dilution calculations is:
C₁V₁ = C₂V₂
- C₁: Stock concentration (initial concentration)
- V₁: Volume of stock required
- C₂: Target concentration (final concentration)
- V₂: Target volume (final volume)
To find the volume of stock solution needed (V₁), the formula is rearranged as V₁ = (C₂ × V₂) / C₁. The volume of diluent (e.g., buffer or media) to add is simply the difference between the final target volume and the required stock volume (Diluent = V₂ - V₁).
How to use the cell dilution calculator
Follow these quick steps to calculate your dilution:
- Enter your Stock cell concentration (must be higher than or equal to the target).
- Enter the desired Target concentration.
- Input the final Target volume you want to prepare.
- Select your volume unit (e.g., mL, µL).
- The calculator will display the volume of your cell stock to use, and how much diluent to add to achieve the final volume.