Affiliations: [a]
Department of Operative Techniques and Surgical Research, Institute of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
| [b]
Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Norbert Nemeth, MD, PhD, Department of Operative Techniques and Surgical Research,
Institute of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98, Hungary.
Tel./Fax: +36 52 416 915; E-mail: nemeth@med.unideb.hu.
Abstract: Laboratory investigations often require centrifugation of blood samples for various erythrocyte tests. Although there is a lack of data about the effect of centrifugation at various g force levels on erythrocyte rheological properties. We aimed to investigate the effect of a 10-minute centrifugation at 500, 1000 or 1500 g at 15°C of rat, dog, pig and human venous (K3-EDTA, 1.5 mg/ml) blood samples. Hematological parameters, erythrocyte deformability, cell membrane stability, osmotic gradient ektacytometry (osmoscan) and erythrocyte aggregation were determined. Hematological and erythrocyte deformability parameters showed interspecies differences, centrifugation caused no significant alterations. Cell membrane stability for human erythrocytes centrifuged at higher g level showed less decrease in deformability. Osmoscan O min parameter showed slight elevation in dog centrifuged aliquots. Erythrocyte aggregation parameters changed unexpectedly. Rat and dog erythrocyte aggregation indices significantly dropped in centrifuged aliquots. Pig erythrocyte aggregation indices increased significantly after centrifugation. Human erythrocyte aggregation was the most stable one among the investigated species. The used centrifugation protocols caused the largest alterations in erythrocyte aggregation in a controversial way among the investigated species. On the other hand, erythrocyte deformability parameters were stable, cell membrane stability and osmoscan data show minor shifts.
Keywords: Red blood cell deformability, red blood cell aggregation, comparative hemorheology, sample preparation, mechanical stress
