Red Blood Cells: Change in Shape in Capillaries

Guest, M. Mason; Bond, Ted P.; Cooper, Richard G.; Derrick, John R.

doi:10.1126/science.142.3597.1319

Cited by 99 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…As normal red cells age, they become more dense (13,36), their lipid content and volume decrease (14,37), and their MCHC rises, achieving levels of 36 g/100 ml or higher. These changes probably occur when parts of the red cell are torn loose during turbulent blood flow (38), or during the remarkable deformations which occur in capillaries and sinuses (39)(40)(41)(42). Fragmentation is only one of the means by which normal red cells are destroyed (43)(44)(45)(46) ; under usual circumstances, the cell is removed before fragmentation proceeds to the stage of microspherocyte formation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AA and CC cells were ultracentrifuged from EDTA plasma, and the viscosity of old and young cells was compared (Table II) 37 2.86 2.4 Sickled cell 34 3.10 Approx. 300 (25) CC microspherocyte 39 2.71 8.4 Crystallographic data suggest that the dimensions of the hemoglobin molecule are 64 X 55 X 50 A (53). If the molecule were a rectangular prism it would occlude a volume of 1.76 X 105 A'; if it were a freely rotating ellipsoid, it would occlude 4.7 X 10' As.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pathogenesis of Hemolytic Anemia in Homozygous Hemoglobin C Disease*

Charache¹,

Conley²,

Waugh³

et al. 1967

J. Clin. Invest.

119

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Abstract. Hemoglobin C is less soluble than hemoglobin A in red cells, in hemolysates, and in dilute phosphate buffer. Its relative insolubility may be explained by electrostatic interactions between positively charged f36-lysyl groups and negatively charged groups on adjacent molecules. Red cells from patients with homozygous hemoglobin C (CC) disease exhibit aberrant physical properties which suggest that the cells are more rigid than normal erythrocytes. They pass through membrane filters less readily than normal red cells do, and their viscosity is higher than that of normal cells. Differences from normal cells are exaggerated if mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is increased, by suspension in hypertonic salt solution. Increased rigidity of CC cells, by accelerating their fragmentation, may be responsible for formation of microspherocytes. These small dense cells are exceptionally rigid, and probably are even more susceptible to fragmentation and sequestration. Rigidity of CC cells can be attributed to a "precrystalline" state of intracellular hemoglobin, in which crystallization does not occur, although the MCHC exceeds the solubility of hemoglobin in hemolysates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathogenesis of Hemolytic Anemia in Homozygous Hemoglobin C Disease*

Charache¹,

Conley²,

Waugh³

et al. 1967

J. Clin. Invest.

119

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“…Overlapping red cells obscure textural details in the cell column (1,15). Thus cells would be visualized best either at unphysiologically low hematocrits (15) or in vessels so narrow that the cells move in single file (1,3,16). Such vessels are rarely found in the subarachnoid space.…”

Section: Optics and Measurement Of Erythrocyte Velocitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…or less in diameter, then the velocity pulse will escape attention because of its disappearance or attenuation in vessels of this size. Since details of corpuscular motion and distortion can best be studied in these extremely small vessels (1,3,15,16), it is not surprising that many workers have directed their observations toward these vessels, thereby diminishing the opportunity to recognize the velocity pulse. The pulse is best recognized if a panoramic view of the vessels is obtained by utilizing magnifications which provide a relatively large field of view and depth of focus.…”

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confidence: 99%

Erythrocyte Velocity and a Velocity Pulse in Minute Blood Vessels on the Surface of the Mouse Brain

Rosenblum

1969

Circulation Research

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High-speed microcinematography of vessels in the subarachnoid space of the anesthetized mouse was used to measure the velocity of erythrocytes in arterioles and venules less than 30/i in diameter. Within arterioles the velocity averaged 3.5 mm/sec, while in venules an average value of 1.9 mm/sec was obtained. A rhythmic alteration in velocity was often observed in the arterioles and was seen occasionally in venules. This cyclical change in velocity was termed the "velocity pulse." The frequency of the velocity pulse was virtually identical to that of the peripheral pulse and is believed to result from a propagation of that pulse into the microcirculation. The velocity pulse was not recognizable in vessels 5/x to 10/A wide. In vessels lOfju to 30yx in diameter, the velocity pulse was not accompanied by changes in the width of the vessels.

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“…hemorheology; erythrocytes; viscometry; artificial red cells; microcirculation RED BLOOD CELLS (RBCs) or erythrocytes in mammals lost their nuclei during their evolution and specialization for their role of oxygen transport. Microcirculatory observation of capillaries (Ͼ4 m diameter) that are narrower than the RBC diameter (8 m) revealed that flowing RBCs alter their own morphology from a biconcave disk to various configurations resembling a parachute, umbrella, jellyfish, or torpedo, as though they were alive (10,11,29). This phenomenon was first reported in the 1960s.…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

Peculiar flow patterns of RBCs suspended in viscous fluids and perfused through a narrow tube (25 μm)

Sakai¹,

Sato²,

Okuda³

et al. 2009

American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology

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(RBCs) generally deform to adopt a parachute-like, torpedo-like, or other configuration to align and flow through a capillary that is narrower than their major axis. As described herein, even in a narrow tube (25 m) with diameter much larger than that of a capillary, flowing RBCs at 1 mm/s align axially and deform to a paraboloid shape in a viscous Newtonian fluid (505 kDa dextran medium) with viscosity of 23.4 -57.1 mPa ⅐ s. A high-speed digital camera image showed that the silhouette of the tip of RBCs fits a parabola, unlike the shape of RBCs in capillaries, because of the longer distance of the RBC-free layer between the tube wall and the RBC surface (ϳ8.8 m). However, when RBCs are suspended in a "non-Newtonian" viscous fluid (liposome-40 kDa dextran medium) with a shear-thinning profile, they migrate toward the tube wall to avoid the axial lining, as "near-wall-excess," which is usually observed for platelets. This migration results from the presence of flocculated liposomes at the tube center. In contrast, such near-wall excess was not observed when RBCs were suspended in a nearly Newtonian liposome-albumin medium. Such unusual flow patterns of RBCs would be explainable by the principle; a larger particle tends to flow near the centerline, and a small one tends to go to the wall to flow with least resistance. However, we visualized for the first time the complete axial aligning and near-wall excess of RBCs in the noncapillary size tube in some extreme conditions. hemorheology; erythrocytes; viscometry; artificial red cells; microcirculation RED BLOOD CELLS (RBCs) or erythrocytes in mammals lost their nuclei during their evolution and specialization for their role of oxygen transport. Microcirculatory observation of capillaries (Ͼ4 m diameter) that are narrower than the RBC diameter (8 m) revealed that flowing RBCs alter their own morphology from a biconcave disk to various configurations resembling a parachute, umbrella, jellyfish, or torpedo, as though they were alive (10,11,29). This phenomenon was first reported in the 1960s.During blood flow in a capillary, a pressure gradient exists: a pressure drop in the direction of flow. The higher pressure in the rear tends to compress the rear portion of the RBCs. In response to such stress, the elastic cellular structure of RBCs (biconcave disc) is known to be effective to deform and stir the intracellular viscous hemoglobin (Hb) solution (Ͼ35 g/dl), thereby facilitating gas exchange (1,6,14). From conventional microscopic observation of peripheral tissues, it is difficult to discern the capillary shape, especially at a reduced hematocrit resulting from the Fahraeus effect and plasma skimming, but we can infer the presence of functional capillary walls near the RBCs by the presence of deformed and aligned RBC flow (25,29). In glass tubes (inner diameter, Ͻ12 m), similar deformation of RBCs is apparent (8, 35). On the other hand, the glycocalyx layer of the capillary endothelium interacts with the plasma layer fluid and retards its flow. Its hydraulic resista...

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Red Blood Cells: Change in Shape in Capillaries

Cited by 99 publications

References 3 publications

Pathogenesis of Hemolytic Anemia in Homozygous Hemoglobin C Disease*

Pathogenesis of Hemolytic Anemia in Homozygous Hemoglobin C Disease*

Erythrocyte Velocity and a Velocity Pulse in Minute Blood Vessels on the Surface of the Mouse Brain

Peculiar flow patterns of RBCs suspended in viscous fluids and perfused through a narrow tube (25 μm)

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