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 language | English |
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Title of host publication | Molecular, cellular, and tissue engineering of the vascular system |
Editors | Bingmei M. Fu, Neil T. Wright |
Place of Publication | Berlin |
Publisher | Springer |
Pages | 191-200 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 978-3-319-96445-4 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-3-319-96444-7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 14 Oct 2018 |
Publication series
Name | Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology |
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Volume | 1097 |
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