Abstract: Background:Red blood cell (RBC) susceptibility to hemolysis – or fragility – can be profiled by subjecting a sample to progressive durations of mechanical stress and measuring hemolysis upon each. The ability to control stress application with multiple variable parameters can be useful in various areas of research. Bead milling, by oscillating an object in a blood sample, can offer control of parameters including oscillation force and frequency. Objective:This work addresses the role of bead shape and size, for a given container, in potentially creating qualitatively as well as quantitatively different fluidic stresses in the sample. Methods:Identical, diluted RBC samples were stressed via bead milling using different beads, with other parameters the same. Resulting hemolysis was plotted for several time increments in each case. Results:For a cylindrical bead oscillating at a given frequency and force, bead length was a determinant of albumin’s protective effect on RBC, as reflected by mechanical fragility. Compared to a sphere of same diameter, the protective effect was absent with shorter cylinders, whereas for longer ones it appeared enhanced. Conclusions:Bead milling based RBC fragility testing could present a useful tool for creating, and studying effects of different shear stress types in inducing hemolysis.
