Low-Frequency Submicron Fluctuations of Red Blood Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy

Red blood cell membrane mechanical fluctuations in non-proliferative and proliferate diabetic retinopathy

“…The level of CMF in those patients was 13.9€1.7%, compared with 18.7€1.75% in the non-diabetic controls (P<0.001) [1]. This translates as a relatively large ($25%) attenuation in the CMF amplitude having been observed for RBCs from patients with the advanced, proliferative form of diabetic retinopathy.…”

“…These measurements of (DI/I)% were performed at four equidistant sites along the cell's perimeter because there is a spatial non-homogeneity of the CMF around the cell rim (or the cell perimeter) [1,29]. The mean values of (DI/I)% at the cell's perimeter, its standard deviation (SD) and the spatial coefficient of variation of the CMF (SD/M) for each cell was calculated.…”

“…We previously investigated the bending deformability of RBCs membrane in patients with PDR [1] by measuring cell membrane fluctuation (CMF) using point darkfield microscopy. CMF was shown to be driven by thermal motion as well as by an ATP-dependent metabolic component [17,28,29].…”

Influence of Plasma Cholesterol on Erythrocyte Membrane Cholesterol in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects

“…This fluid property is significant in regulation of membrane fragility for maintaining structural integrity, biconcave shape and also membrane permeability for transport of substances, specifically the glucose across the plasma and the cytoplasm of erythrocytes (11)(12)(13). The relative amounts of phospholipids and cholesterol are responsible for the fluid properties of erythrocyte membrane.…”

“…The relative amounts of phospholipids and cholesterol are responsible for the fluid properties of erythrocyte membrane. Increase in the cholesterol content of the erythrocyte membrane alters the membrane behavior making it rigid (12,(14)(15)(16)(17)(18).The erythrocytes are devoid of many sub-cellular organelles, including ribosomes, hence erythrocytes cannot synthesis the cellular as well as membrane components and has to be dependent on the media i.e., plasma for these components. Therefore, the membrane properties of erythrocytes are dependent on plasma lipid components, specifically, the cholesterol.…”