Measure RNA yield per cell accurately. Account for dilution, recovery, viability, and multiple output units. Export results, inspect formulas, and compare practical examples easily.
| Sample | Concentration | Volume | Usable Fraction | Recovery | Total Cells | Viability | Recovered RNA per Cell | Estimated RNA per Cell |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammalian culture A | 120 ng/µL | 30 µL | 95% | 85% | 600,000 | 95% | 6.00 pg/cell | 7.06 pg/cell |
| Immune cell prep B | 45 ng/µL | 20 µL | 90% | 85% | 300,000 | 90% | 3.00 pg/cell | 3.53 pg/cell |
| Yeast sample C | 200 ng/µL | 15 µL | 95% | 80% | 1,200,000 | 92% | 2.58 pg/cell | 3.23 pg/cell |
1. Measured total RNA
Measured total RNA (ng) = Concentration converted to ng/µL × Elution volume converted to µL × Dilution factor
2. Usable recovered RNA
Usable recovered RNA (ng) = Measured total RNA × (Usable RNA fraction ÷ 100)
3. Estimated original RNA
Estimated original RNA (ng) = Usable recovered RNA ÷ (Recovery efficiency ÷ 100)
4. Effective viable cells
Effective viable cells = Total counted cells × (Viability ÷ 100)
5. Total RNA per cell
Recovered RNA per cell (ng/cell) = Usable recovered RNA ÷ Effective viable cells
Estimated RNA per cell (ng/cell) = Estimated original RNA ÷ Effective viable cells
Unit conversion
1 ng = 1000 pg = 1,000,000 fg
Total RNA amount per cell helps normalize extraction yield against cell number. It supports sample comparison across plates, passages, culture conditions, or treatments. It also highlights whether a low yield reflects poor extraction, reduced viability, or a true biological shift in RNA content.
Using viable cells improves interpretation because dead or damaged cells can distort the denominator. Adding usable fraction and recovery efficiency makes the estimate more practical for real laboratory workflows, especially when only part of the isolated material is accepted for downstream analysis.
It is the average RNA amount assigned to one viable cell. The value is useful for comparing samples with different cell numbers or extraction volumes.
Viable cells better represent the living population that contributed intact RNA. Using all cells can underestimate RNA per cell when viability is poor.
Use it when the concentration reading was taken from a diluted aliquot. A factor of 1 means the measured sample was not diluted before quantification.
It is the percentage of recovered RNA considered suitable after purity, integrity, or cleanup review. It lets you separate raw yield from usable yield.
Recovery efficiency estimates how much RNA the extraction process retained. It helps convert recovered yield into a corrected estimate of original cellular RNA.
pg/cell is usually the easiest unit for routine biology work. fg/cell fits very small yields, while ng/cell suits unusually large per-cell values.
Yes. Use that mode when you already know the total recovered RNA amount and do not need the calculator to derive it from concentration and volume.
No. It summarizes yield mathematically. You still need proper RNA integrity, purity, and handling checks before interpreting downstream assay readiness.
Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.