Increased viscosity of erythrocyte suspension upon hemolysis

• Published in: Colloid and polymer science 1993, Vol.271 (1), p.63-69
• Main Authors: SEIYAMA, A, SUZUKI, Y, MAEDA, N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanics. Biorheology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics
• ISSN: 0303-402X; 1435-1536
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00652304

Viscous properties of partially hemolyzed erythrocyte suspensions were studied with a cone-plate viscometer. A Casson plot was successfully applied for analysis of the viscous properties. When the degree of hemolysis was increased, Casson viscosity ( eta sub(c)) of the partially hemolyzed erythrocyte suspensions increased, but the substitution of hemoglobin solution with the same O sub(2)-carrying capacity of hemolyzed fraction (containing ghost) reduced the eta sub(c) remarkably. The yield stress (f sub(c)) of the intact erythrocyte suspension increased with increasing hematocrit, but the f sub(c) of partially hemolyzed erythrocyte suspension was dependent on both hematocrit and the degree of hemolysis. The apparent viscosity ( eta sub(a)) of erythrocyte suspension was drastically increased with the slight hemolysis, and became maximum at a certain degree of hemolysis which was dependent on both total hemoglobin concentration and shear rate. Such influence of hemolysis on the eta sub(a) was also evident in the mixture of erythrocyte suspension and hemoglobin solution. These results suggest that the hemoglobin molecule plays a certain role in erythrocyte-erythrocyte interaction in their suspension, which modifies the viscosity.