Pulse shape analysis of RBC micropore flow via new software for the cell transit analyser (CTA)

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Fisher, T.C. | Wenby, R.B. | Meiselman, H.J.

Affiliations: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, USC School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90033

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor H.L. Goldsmith

Abstract: The Cell Transit Analyser (CT A) provides a means to rapidly measure the deform ability of large numbers of individual cells. It combines many of the advantages of micropipette studies with the simplicity and speed of filtrometry methods by measuring the duration of each resistive pulse generated as a cell passes through one of 30 identical micropores in a membrane. However, in our opinion, the potential of the system is limited by the microcomputer and software supplied for data analysis. We have therefore written new software for a more-powerful microcomputer to examine the shape of each resistive pulse rather than just the duration. Seven new parameters are derived, which provide additional information regarding the passage of cells through the pores. In particular, the contribution of the entry and exit phases of the cell transit are evident in the rise time and fall time of the pulses. The software is user-friendly and allows the analysis of each pulse to be reviewed, which aids understanding of the system and helps to avoid errors in interpreting the data.

Keywords: Cell Transit Analyser, CTA, deformability, filtration, RBC

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1992-292-301

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 29, no. 2-3, pp. 185-201, 1992