The present study was designed to further the characterization of age- related changes in the deformability of human erythrocytes. The top (approximately young) and bottom (approximately old) 10% fractions of density-separated red cells from ten normal donors were subjected to graded levels of shear stress in a rheoscope. Measurements were made of steady-state elongation (cells tank treading in a state of dynamic equilibrium) and the time course of shape recovery following abrupt cessation of shear. In parallel with the rheologic experiments, several physical and chemical properties were assayed to determine correlates of mechanical properties. These included mean cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, type A1 hemoglobin, glucosylation of membrane proteins, and membrane phospholipid and protein concentration. The microrheologic observations revealed that only about 90% of the old cells retained their capacity to tank tread. However, the tank-treading cells elongated less than their younger counterparts at corresponding levels of shear stress, thus demonstrating a reduced level of deformability. Further analysis of the data indicates that increases in membrane viscosity and elastic modulus along with a significant loss in excess surface area contribute to the limitation of the ability of the older cells to change shape.

This study was undertaken to determine whether diabetes alters the viscoelastic properties of erythrocytes. The oldest and youngest 10% fractions of circulating red cells were separated by centrifugation of freshly drawn blood obtained from ten diabetics with disease of one to 20 years' duration and from an equal number of age- and sex-matched control subjects. Cells from each fraction were suspended in phosphate- buffered saline, and their rheologic behavior was examined in a rheoscope. The elongation of cells, the percentage of cells that tank- treaded in response to shear stress, tank-treading frequency, and the rate of recovery of cell shape upon cessation of shear stress were determined in the oldest and youngest 10% of cells for diabetics as well as for controls. All four parameters were virtually identical for diabetics and controls. Additional aliquots of cells were taken for assessment of nonenzymatic glucosylation of hemoglobin and cell membrane protein. The absence of any measurable difference in rheologic behavior of cells from diabetic and control subjects, despite substantial differences in nonenzymatic glucosylation of hemoglobin and cell membrane proteins, suggests that the magnitude of glucosylation observed in these cellular constituents does not alter the viscoelastic properties of the cells. The implication of these observations is that microvascular complications of diabetes are not attributable to altered deformability of red cells.

This study was undertaken to determine whether diabetes alters the viscoelastic properties of erythrocytes. The oldest and youngest 10% fractions of circulating red cells were separated by centrifugation of freshly drawn blood obtained from ten diabetics with disease of one to 20 years' duration and from an equal number of age- and sex-matched control subjects. Cells from each fraction were suspended in phosphate- buffered saline, and their rheologic behavior was examined in a rheoscope. The elongation of cells, the percentage of cells that tank- treaded in response to shear stress, tank-treading frequency, and the rate of recovery of cell shape upon cessation of shear stress were determined in the oldest and youngest 10% of cells for diabetics as well as for controls. All four parameters were virtually identical for diabetics and controls. Additional aliquots of cells were taken for assessment of nonenzymatic glucosylation of hemoglobin and cell membrane protein. The absence of any measurable difference in rheologic behavior of cells from diabetic and control subjects, despite substantial differences in nonenzymatic glucosylation of hemoglobin and cell membrane proteins, suggests that the magnitude of glucosylation observed in these cellular constituents does not alter the viscoelastic properties of the cells. The implication of these observations is that microvascular complications of diabetes are not attributable to altered deformability of red cells.

The present study was designed to further the characterization of age- related changes in the deformability of human erythrocytes. The top (approximately young) and bottom (approximately old) 10% fractions of density-separated red cells from ten normal donors were subjected to graded levels of shear stress in a rheoscope. Measurements were made of steady-state elongation (cells tank treading in a state of dynamic equilibrium) and the time course of shape recovery following abrupt cessation of shear. In parallel with the rheologic experiments, several physical and chemical properties were assayed to determine correlates of mechanical properties. These included mean cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, type A1 hemoglobin, glucosylation of membrane proteins, and membrane phospholipid and protein concentration. The microrheologic observations revealed that only about 90% of the old cells retained their capacity to tank tread. However, the tank-treading cells elongated less than their younger counterparts at corresponding levels of shear stress, thus demonstrating a reduced level of deformability. Further analysis of the data indicates that increases in membrane viscosity and elastic modulus along with a significant loss in excess surface area contribute to the limitation of the ability of the older cells to change shape.

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