SELECTIVE MEASUREMENT OF SOMATIC AND MICROBIAL CELLS

摘要

A method is disclosed for measuring the concentration of nucleotides and the number of viable cells in a biological sample containing somatic and/or microbial cells by treatment of a sample of cells with surface active agents to selectively release the nucleotides without rupture of the cell membrane or walls, and measuring by means of a bioluminescent assay technique the concentration of nucleotides selectively released and thereby determining the number of viable cells in the sample.