Sasaki T, Seki J, Itano T, Sugihara-Seki M. Cross-sectional distributions of normal and abnormal red blood cells in capillary tubes determined by a new technique.
Biorheology 2018;
54:153-165. [PMID:
29614620 DOI:
10.3233/bir-18166]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND
In the microcirculation, red blood cells (RBCs) were observed to be confined to an axial stream surrounded by a marginal RBC depleted layer. This axial accumulation of RBCs is considered to arise from the RBC deformability.
OBJECTIVE
To quantitatively evaluate the effect of RBC deformability on their axial accumulation at a flow condition comparable to that in arterioles by developing a new observation system for accurate measurements of radial RBC positions in the cross section of capillary tubes.
METHODS
The cross-sectional distributions of normal and hardened RBCs as well as softened RBCs suspended in capillary tube flows were measured with high spatial resolution. A new observation system was developed in which enface views of the cross-section of the tube were obtained at small distances upstream of the outlet at various longitudinal positions in the tube.
RESULTS
The radial positions of individual RBCs were detected within 1 μm accuracy. It was found that normal and softened RBCs rapidly migrated away from the wall towards the tube axis, whereas glutaraldehyde-hardened RBCs were dispersed widely over the tube cross-section, depending on the concentration of glutaraldehyde solution.
CONCLUSIONS
The newly devised observation system revealed quantitatively the essential role of RBC deformability in their axial accumulation.
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