Shapes of red blood cells during micropipette aspiration¹²

Issue title: Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress of Biorheology. Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, 27 July – 1 August 1981. Dedicated to Alex Silberberg

Guest editors: Alfred L. Copley

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Pai, Bipin K.

Affiliations: Department of Engineering, Purdue University, Hammond, Indiana 46323, U.S.A.

Note: [1] Paper prepared at the 4th International Congress of Biorheology, Tokyo, 1981.

Note: [2] This paper appeared under a different title: “Red Cell Shapes in Micropipettes” in 1981 Biomechanics Symposium Proceedings, Joint ASME/ASCE Mechanics Conference; University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A., 1981.

Note: [] Guest Editors Y. Matunobu and M. Singh

Abstract: The principle of minimum energy of deformation is used to determine the shapes of red cells during micropipette aspiration. Both bending and shear stresses are included in the analysis. The red cell shapes are described by equations with adjustable parameters. The parameters are then used to satisfy the geometrical and mechanical constraints. The geometrical constraints are that the surface area and volume have specific values. The mechanical constraint is that the red cell satisfy the equilibrium criterion that the total energy of deformation is a minimum. A numerical procedure is used to find a variety of shapes satisfying the geometrical constraints. The total energy of deformation, which is the sum of bending and shear energies, is calculated for each of these shapes. An optimization procedure is then used to determine the shape which has the least energy of deformation.

Keywords: Red blood cells, erythrocytes, micropipette aspiration, red cell membrane, microcirculation

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1982-191-216

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 19, no. 1-2, pp. 137-141, 1982