Impact of Red Blood Cell Rigidity on in vivo Flow Dynamics and Lingering in Bifurcations

Article Summary

The distribution of red blood cells in the microcirculation is a critical factor that determines how oxygen and essential solutes are delivered to tissues. This process relies heavily on the partitioning of red blood cells at successive bifurcations throughout the microvascular network. In this study, we quantify how the microscopic behavior of cell lingering affects this partitioning through combined in vivo experiments and in silico simulations.

Lingering refers to the phenomenon where cells temporarily reside near the apex of a bifurcation with a significantly diminished velocity. We demonstrate that this lingering behavior correlates strongly with deviations from established empirical predictions regarding the phase separation process.

Furthermore, we reveal how the specific geometry of a bifurcation and the rigidity of the cell membrane can affect the lingering behavior of the red blood cells. For example, rigid cells tend to linger less than softer cells. This research highlights an important mechanism for understanding microcirculatory blood flow, particularly in diseases associated with abnormal cell rigidity like malaria and sickle cell anemia.