Calculate the precise volume of cell stock and media required to reach a target concentration.
Dilution Parameters
Dilution Protocol
100.00µL
Stock to Add (V₁)
Media to Add9.90mL
Ratio0.010v/v
Visual Guide
V1
Stock
Media
V1
Final V2
Transfer volume V₁ from your stock and top up with media until you reach volume V₂.
About this calculator
Overview
Diluting cell suspensions is routine for passaging cells or plating experiments. It follows the conservation of mass principle: the total number of cells remains constant as volume increases. If you have 1 million cells in 1 mL, and you add 9 mL of media, you now have 1 million cells in 10 mL (100,000 cells/mL).
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Pro Tips
Initial concentration (C₁) must always be higher than target concentration (C₂).
Gently resuspend cells before taking the stock volume (V₁) to ensure accuracy; cells tend to settle at the bottom of the tube.
The volume of media to add is calculated as V₂ - V₁.
Use sterile technique inside a biosafety cabinet to avoid contamination.
Always use pre-warmed media (37°C) for most mammalian cell lines to avoid 'cold shock'.
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Fun Facts
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"HeLa cells, the first immortalized human cell line, have been growing in laboratories since 1951."
