Cell-free layer development and spatial organization of healthy and rigid red blood cells in a microfluidic bifurcation
Rashidi Y, Aouane O, Darras A, John T, Harting J, Wagner C, Recktenwald SM (2023)
Publication Type: Journal article, Original article
Publication year: 2023
Journal
Book Volume: 19
Pages Range: 6255-6266
Journal Issue: 33
DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00517h
Abstract
Bifurcations and branches in the microcirculation dramatically affect blood flow as they determine the spatiotemporal organization of red blood cells (RBCs). Such changes in vessel geometries can further influence the formation of a cell-free layer (CFL) close to the vessel walls. Biophysical cell properties, such as their deformability, which is impaired in various diseases, are often thought to impact blood flow and affect the distribution of flowing RBCs. This study investigates the flow behavior of healthy and artificially hardened RBCs in a bifurcating microfluidic T-junction. We determine the RBC distribution across the channel width at multiple positions before and after the bifurcation. Thus, we reveal distinct focusing profiles in the feeding mother channel for rigid and healthy RBCs that dramatically impact the cell organization in the successive daughter channels. Moreover, we experimentally show how the characteristic asymmetric CFLs in the daughter vessels develop along their flow direction. Complimentary numerical simulations indicate that the buildup of the CFL is faster for healthy than for rigid RBCs. Our results provide fundamental knowledge to understand the partitioning of rigid RBC as a model of cells with pathologically impaired deformability in complex in vitro networks.
Involved external institutions
Universität des Saarlandes (UdS)
Germany (DE)
Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ)
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ)
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Rashidi, Y., Aouane, O., Darras, A., John, T., Harting, J., Wagner, C., & Recktenwald, S.M. (2023). Cell-free layer development and spatial organization of healthy and rigid red blood cells in a microfluidic bifurcation. Soft Matter, 19(33), 6255-6266. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3sm00517h
MLA:
Rashidi, Yazdan, et al. "Cell-free layer development and spatial organization of healthy and rigid red blood cells in a microfluidic bifurcation." Soft Matter 19.33 (2023): 6255-6266.
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