161
Biomechanical Characterization of Human Red Blood Cells
may be beneficial in the alleviation of sickle cell disease. However, excessively hypotonic conditions will swell RBCs to an extreme extent and may
cause hemolysis (Braasch 1971).
Additionally, the results show that the relation between the stretching
force and the axial deformation is quasilinear, which is consistent with the
results reported in Henon et al. (1999) and Mills et al. (2004). This finding
indicates that when the stretching force is low enough (less than 18 pN), the
swollen RBC behaves like a linear elastic spring, which reflects the intrinsic
membrane deformation characteristics in this force range and sheds light on
the study of the microstructures of RBC biomembranes.
8.5 Summary
In this chapter, mechanical characterization of human RBCs was successfully achieved through robotic manipulation with optical tweezers. A cell
mechanical model was developed based on membrane theory, in which
Evans-Skalak material was utilized to represent the deformation behavior
of RBC biomembranes. To investigate the influence of osmotic stress on the
mechanical properties of human RBCs, robotic manipulation technology
with optical tweezers was used to stretch RBCs in hypotonic conditions.
The linear relationship between the stretching force and the axial deformation was obtained in experiments. Comparing the experimental data to the
modeling results, the mechanical properties of RBCs, for example, the area
compressibility modulus and the elastic shear modulus, were characterized,
which were lower than the counterpart RBCs in isotonic conditions. This
preliminary study not only helps in understanding the significant effect of
osmotic stress on human RBCs but provides insight into the pathology of
some human diseases and disease therapy.
References
Alexy, T. Nemeth, N., Wenby, R.B., Bauersachs, R.M., Baskurt, O.K., and Meiselman,H.J.
2007. Effect of lanthanum on red blood cell deformability. Biorheology, 44(5–6):
361–373.
Arai, F., Ichikawa, A., Ogawa, M., Fukuda, T., Horio, K., and Itoigawa, K. 2001.
High-speed separation system of randomly suspended single living cells by
laser trap and dielectrophoresis. Electrophoresis, 22(2): 283–288.
Biomechanical Characterization of Human Red Blood Cells
may be beneficial in the alleviation of sickle cell disease. However, excessively hypotonic conditions will swell RBCs to an extreme extent and may
cause hemolysis (Braasch 1971).
Additionally, the results show that the relation between the stretching
force and the axial deformation is quasilinear, which is consistent with the
results reported in Henon et al. (1999) and Mills et al. (2004). This finding
indicates that when the stretching force is low enough (less than 18 pN), the
swollen RBC behaves like a linear elastic spring, which reflects the intrinsic
membrane deformation characteristics in this force range and sheds light on
the study of the microstructures of RBC biomembranes.
8.5 Summary
In this chapter, mechanical characterization of human RBCs was successfully achieved through robotic manipulation with optical tweezers. A cell
mechanical model was developed based on membrane theory, in which
Evans-Skalak material was utilized to represent the deformation behavior
of RBC biomembranes. To investigate the influence of osmotic stress on the
mechanical properties of human RBCs, robotic manipulation technology
with optical tweezers was used to stretch RBCs in hypotonic conditions.
The linear relationship between the stretching force and the axial deformation was obtained in experiments. Comparing the experimental data to the
modeling results, the mechanical properties of RBCs, for example, the area
compressibility modulus and the elastic shear modulus, were characterized,
which were lower than the counterpart RBCs in isotonic conditions. This
preliminary study not only helps in understanding the significant effect of
osmotic stress on human RBCs but provides insight into the pathology of
some human diseases and disease therapy.
References
Alexy, T. Nemeth, N., Wenby, R.B., Bauersachs, R.M., Baskurt, O.K., and Meiselman,H.J.
2007. Effect of lanthanum on red blood cell deformability. Biorheology, 44(5–6):
361–373.
Arai, F., Ichikawa, A., Ogawa, M., Fukuda, T., Horio, K., and Itoigawa, K. 2001.
High-speed separation system of randomly suspended single living cells by
laser trap and dielectrophoresis. Electrophoresis, 22(2): 283–288.