Which of the Following is the Best Technique for Counting

Question

Which of the following is the best technique for counting only viable cells?
A) direct microscopic count
B) spread plate
C) spectrophotometer
D) chemostat
E) dry weight measurements

Accepted Answer

The spread plate technique involves diluting the culture and spreading it on a solid agar medium. The viable cells will grow into visible colonies, allowing for an accurate count of only the live cells. The other techniques may count non-viable cells, such as dead or dormant cells, and therefore would not be suitable for specifically counting viable cells.