The degree of packing of cells during centrifugation depends on all of the following EXCEPT which one?

The degree of packing of cells during centrifugation is influenced by several factors, including the speed of centrifugation, the radius at which centrifugation occurs, and the time that the samples are subjected to centrifugal force.

The speed of centrifugation determines the force exerted on the cells, which directly affects sedimentation. A higher speed increases the centrifugal force, resulting in a more efficient packing of cells. Similarly, the radius of the centrifuge rotor influences the effective gravitational force acting on the cells: a larger radius results in greater centrifugal force and more effective separation of cells.

The time of centrifugation is also crucial—insufficient time may not allow for complete sedimentation, whereas too much time can lead to excessive packing, which may disturb the separation.

The bore size of the microhematocrit tube, however, does not significantly affect the degree of packing of cells during the centrifugation process. While the bore size may influence the volume of sample one can process and has implications for the ease of blood collection or manipulation, it does not change the fundamental physics of how cells are separated in a centrifuge. Therefore, this factor does not affect the degree to which cells pack during centrifugation as the others do.