Provided herein are red blood cell control compositions containing one or more populations of lysable hydrogel particles having an impedance that is substantially similar to the impedance of a human red blood cell of average diameter; and a population of hemoglobin molecules or a population of dye molecules that have substantially similar absorbance as hemoglobin; wherein (i) and/or (ii) are present in an amount that corresponds to a normal blood sample or disease state, or (i) and (ii) are present at a ratio that corresponds to a normal blood sample or disease state.

Provided herein are red blood cell control compositions comprising one or more populations of lysable hydrogel particles having an impedance that is substantially similar to the impedance of a human red blood cell of average diameter; and a population of hemoglobin molecules or a population of dye molecules that have substantially similar absorbance as hemoglobin; wherein (i) and/or (ii) are present in an amount that corresponds to a normal blood sample or disease state, or (i) and (ii) are present at a ratio that corresponds to a normal blood sample or disease state.