title: Red cell deformability: physiological, clinical and pharmacological aspects.
abstract: Twenty five thousand billions of red cells circulate through 300 miles of capillary network. The red cell diameter is 7 to 8 microns and the capillary diameter 3 to 5 micron. Red cells deformability is therefore an essential condition for survival. It is impaired in a certain number of clinical conditions. A French task force, covering 40 University Hospitals, is presently investigating the clinical implications of red cell filterability, and its possible therapeutical consequences.
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000097:blood; D004163:Diphosphoglyceric Acids / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology; D012306:Risk; D013049:Spectrin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004163:Diphosphoglyceric Acids; D013049:Spectrin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D010431:Pentoxifylline; D002118:Calcium