On the physics underlying longitudinal capillary recruitment

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Numerous researchers have found that capillary vessel haematocrit depends on the vasodilatory state of the arterioles. At rest, vessel haematocrit is down to 15 %, suggesting a red blood cell velocity three times higher than the plasma velocity. This finding is analysed in the context of present understanding of propulsion of red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma by means of the arteriovenous pressure gradient. Interfacial forces between the red blood cells and the plasma are proposed as a rational explanation of the observed red blood cell velocities. While the arteriovenous pressure gradient across the capillaries propels the red blood cell and the plasma jointly, interfacial forces along the red blood cell membrane can propel RBCs at the cost of the plasma. Different options are explored for the physical origin of these interfacial forces and oxygen gradients are found to be the most probable source.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMolecular, cellular, and tissue engineering of the vascular system
EditorsBingmei M. Fu, Neil T. Wright
Place of PublicationBerlin
PublisherSpringer
Pages191-200
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-319-96445-4
ISBN (Print)978-3-319-96444-7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Oct 2018

Publication series

NameAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Volume1097
ISSN (Print)0065-2598
ISSN (Electronic)2214-8019

Funding

Acknowledgements The author acknowledges support from the STW-foundation, the Technological Branch of the Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research NWO, and the Ministery of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, for project 12538, Interfacial aspects of Ionised Media. The author thanks Dr. Sami Musa (University of Limerick and Eindhoven University of Technology) and dr. Orest Shardt (University of Limerick) for enlightening discussions and for commenting the manuscript.

Keywords

  • Arterioles
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Blood Flow Velocity
  • Blood Pressure
  • Capillaries/physiology
  • Cell Membrane
  • Erythrocytes
  • Hematocrit
  • Humans
  • Plasma

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