Numerical investigation of the flow behaviour and filtration of aged red blood cells

Abstract

Transfusions involving red blood cells (RBCs) are critical to modern health care. However, there is no effective clinical way to remove aged cells from stores to increase maximum shelf life and enhance transfusion safety. The spleen filters aged RBCs but the specific mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, an accurate and efficient new numerical model was developed for different RBC shapes and investigated their flow and deformation behaviour using the LBM-IBM-DEM method. Cell orientation, stiffness, morphology, interior viscosity of the cell, and flow velocity were found to be the major parameters that determine splenic cell filtration.