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Flow of axisymmetric red blood cells in narrow capillaries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2006

T. W. Secomb ,
R. Skalak ,
N. Özkaya  and
J. F. Gross
T. W. Secomb
Affiliation:
Departments of Physiology and Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724
R. Skalak
Affiliation:
Bioengineering Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
N. Özkaya
Affiliation:
Bioengineering Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
J. F. Gross
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
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Abstract

Flow of red blood cells along narrow cylindrical vessels, with inside diameters up to 8 μm, is modelled theoretically. Axisymmetric cell shapes are assumed, and lubrication theory is used to describe the flow of the suspending fluid in the gaps between the cells and the vessel wall. The models take into account the elastic properties of the red blood cell membrane, including its responses to shear and bending. At moderate or high cell velocities, about 1 mm/s or more, the membrane stress may be approximated by an isotropic tension which is maximal at the nose of the cell and falls to zero at the rear. Cell shape and apparent viscosity are then independent of flow rate. At lower flow velocities, membrane shear and bending stresses become increasingly important, and models are developed to take these into account. Apparent viscosity is shown to increase with decreasing flow rate, in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical studies.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 163 , February 1986 , pp. 405 - 423
Copyright
© 1986 Cambridge University Press

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