Studying Blood Cell Flow Dynamics
Author Information
Author(s): Higgins John M., Eddington David T., Bhatia Sangeeta N., Mahadevan L.
Primary Institution: Harvard University
Hypothesis
How do the interactions of red blood cells affect their flow dynamics in a microfluidic environment?
Conclusion
The study found that sickle cell blood shows decreased random cellular motions, which may increase the risk of occlusion.
Supporting Evidence
- The study used over 25 million cell trajectory measurements to analyze blood flow.
- Results indicated that the effective diffusivity of sickle cells is lower than that of normal cells.
- Cell velocity fluctuations were linked to the risk of thrombosis in sickle cell disease.
Takeaway
This study looks at how red blood cells move in blood flow and finds that sickle cells don't move as freely, which can cause blockages.
Methodology
The researchers used computational image processing and machine learning to track individual blood cells in a microfluidic device.
Limitations
The study primarily focuses on a specific microfluidic setup, which may not fully represent in vivo conditions.
Participant Demographics
Blood samples were collected from patients with sickle cell disease and healthy individuals.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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