Investigation of High‐Speed Erythrocyte Flow and Erythrocyte‐Wall Impact in a Lab‐on‐a‐Chip

Abstract

To better understand erythrocyte high-speed motion, collision characteristics, and collision-induced hemolysis probability in rotary blood pumps, a visual experimental investigation of high-speed erythrocyte flow and erythrocyte-wall collision in a lab-on-a-chip was performed. The erythrocyte suspension was driven by a microsyringe pump connected to the microchip, and the erythrocyte flow and erythrocyte-wall impact process were observed and imaged by an optical microscope and a high-speed camera. Two types of microchips with different impact surfaces (flat and curved) were employed. The motion and deformation features before and after collision were studied in detail. The results show that erythrocytes not only move along the flow direction in the flow plane but also rotate and roll in three-dimensional space. Erythrocytes keep discoid shape during the movement in the straight channel, but their deformations during collision are mainly classified into two types: erythrocyte structure is still stable and the erythrocyte performance can be ensured to a certain extent in the TypeA deformation, while the TypeB deformation makes the membrane more likely to fracture on the stretched side, increasing the probability of hemolysis. Furthermore, the movements and deformations of the erythrocytes after collision are analyzed and classified into two types: bouncing and slipping. Moreover, a simulation method for the flow in microchip was performed and validated through a comparison of the streamlines and experimental erythrocytes tracks, which can be further employed to predict the high-speed blood flow, associated with collision process in mechanical blood pump.

Investigation of red blood cell partitioning in an in vitro microvascular bifurcation

“…It is important to note that RBC wall impacts such as lingering happen in much larger channels at greater velocity. 35 Future work could explore the partitioning behavior by considering the ratio of channel width to particle diameter (λ). Our 2% hematocrit time-averaged data agree with experiments conducted by Roberts and Olbricht 22 using significantly larger channels (100 μm) and a 1.5% volume fraction of 80-μm-diameter rigid particles.…”

“…We were able to build upon that work by identifying a relationship between Q * and the frequency of lingering, as well as identify a narrow range in the feeder channel that led RBCs to linger. It is important to note that RBC wall impacts such as lingering happen in much larger channels at greater velocity 35 …”

Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis

“…The application of paper-based microfluidic devices favors the studies on the feasibility of RBC and hematocrit measurements and holds great potential for remote regions with limited resources [182]. Miscellaneous applications of microchannel flows include the analysis of high-speed flows [183], RBC dynamics under oscillatory flows [184], structural and functional assessment of erythrocyte membranes [185], analysis of RBC water permeability [186], response to loading and stress [187], factors influencing RBC homeostasis and pharmacological interventions [188], and applications of vascular microfluidics to blood-endothelium interfaces [189]. Other studies include membrane-based microfluidics for separation [190], effects of osmolality and perfusion on erythrocyte rheology [191], enhanced deposition analysis of sickle cell RBCs [192], and studies on RBC capillary velocities as a function of oxygen content [98].…”

Rheological Role of Stiff Nanorings on Concurrently Strengthening and Toughening Polymer Nanocomposites

“…The rheological role played by SNRs, as revealed in this study, of contributing to viscous and elastic dominance at respective high and low frequencies can be exploited to arrive at the desired dynamic mechanical properties long anticipated for a wide range of target polymeric materials. High-speed collision or friction happens frequently in reality and often results in severe damage to the participating objects. , Therefore, large toughness and strong mechanical strength are required for many related polymeric materials acting as a protective layer to dissipate the energy generated during the process of deforming at high frequencies, with the purpose of preventing the protected objects from being disrupted. Note that adding spherical NPs, nanorods, or other nano-objects like oligomers, with large surface-to-volume ratio, into polymer matrices is currently a usual way to enhance the ability of the related materials withstanding the disrupting effect of forced deformation at large strain rates.…”