Red blood cell motions in high-hematocrit blood flowing through a stenosed microchannel

Abstract We investigated the behavior of red blood cells (RBCs) in a microchannel with stenosis using a confocal micro-PTV system. Individual trajectories of RBCs in a concentrated suspension of up to 20% hematocrit (Hct) were measured successfully. Results indicated that the trajectories of healthy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of biomechanics 2009-05, Vol.42 (7), p.838-843
Main Authors: Fujiwara, H, Ishikawa, T, Lima, R, Matsuki, N, Imai, Y, Kaji, H, Nishizawa, M, Yamaguchi, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blood
Blood flow
Blood Flow Velocity
Blood platelets
Confocal micro-PTV
Constriction, Pathologic
Erythrocytes
Health
Hematocrit
Humans
Lasers
Male
Methods
Microchannel
Microcirculation
Migration
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Plasma
Red blood cell
Reynolds number
Rheology
Shear stress
Stenosis
Studies
Veins & arteries
Water
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract We investigated the behavior of red blood cells (RBCs) in a microchannel with stenosis using a confocal micro-PTV system. Individual trajectories of RBCs in a concentrated suspension of up to 20% hematocrit (Hct) were measured successfully. Results indicated that the trajectories of healthy RBCs became asymmetric before and after the stenosis, while the trajectories of tracer particles in pure water were almost symmetric. The asymmetry was greater in 10% Hct than in 20% Hct. We also investigated the effect of deformability of RBCs on the cell-free layer thickness by hardening RBCs using a glutaraldehyde treatment. The results indicated that deformability is the key factor in the asymmetry of cell-free layer thickness. Therefore, the motions of RBCs are influenced strongly by the Hct, the deformability, and the channel geometry. These results give fundamental knowledge for a better understanding of blood flow in microcirculation and biomedical microdevices.
ISSN:0021-9290
1873-2380
DOI:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.01.026