Shear fragility of human erythrocytes

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Champion, J.V.^a | North, P.F.^a | Coakley, W.T.^b | Williams, A.R.^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Physics, Sir John Cass School of Science and Technology, Jewry Street, London, E.C.3 | [b] Department of Microbiology, University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, Cardiff

Abstract: Shear breakage of human blood cells in saline solution has been studied under conditions of uniform shear, non-penetrating thickeners having been added merely to facilitate application of a sufficiently high stress using a conventional cone and plate apparatus. Cells in isotonic saline fragment and many micro spheres are formed. In hypotonic saline, haemolysis replaces fragmentation; few microspheres result. A shear stress threshold exists for haemolysis. The shear stress required to produce 50% haemolysis depends on the type of thickening additive; values of 2200 and 10,000 dyne cm−2 are obtained for cells in Dextran and Methocel, respectively. Both microsphere formation and degree of haemolysis depend on the applied shear stress and the time of shearing.

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1971-8103

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 23-29, 1971