| abstract |
A method and reagent for the simultaneous or independent enumeration of reticulocytes in a whole blood sample, without the need to separately incubate the sample and reagent. The reagent contains a reticulocyte staining amount of an unsymmetrical cyanine dye, from about 40 mM to about 60 mM of a buffer selected from the group consisting of imidazole, Tris and Bis-Tris and a dye stabilizing amount of a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of N, N-bis[3-D-Glucon-amidopropyl] cholamide and a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene block copolymer. The reagent has a pH from about 6.8 to about 7.2 and an osmolarity adjusted to about 280 to about 310 mOsm/l with a mono-, or di-, valent alkali salt selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, LiCl, CaCl2, MgCl2 and ZnCl2. The method utilizes the reagent in a no incubation process that also allows for the simultaneous determination of CBC as well as reticulocyte counts and maturity indices. |