title: Influence of vessel diameter on red cell distribution at microvascular bifurcations.
abstract: The uneven distribution of red blood cells (RBCs) to daughter branches at microvascular bifurcations, often referred to as "plasma skimming," has been characterized in previous studies by comparisons of flux-flow plots of red cell flow fraction (F*) versus volumetric flow fraction (Q*) at single junctions. Comparisons of flux-flow plots for single bifurcations with differing daughter/parent vessel diameter ratios (Dd/Dp = 1.0 vs 0.5) have been made to reveal the influence of vessel size on red cell distribution at vessel junctions of four different geometries (100 x 100, 50 x 50, 100 x 50, 50 x 25 microns). Experimental data determined by effluent collection were compared to those from video fluorescence microscopy experiments, as well as to numerical computations from theoretical models. Statistical comparisons using a likelihood ratio test indicate that vessel diameter ratio, Dd/Dp, has no detectable influence on RBC distribution in these microvascular bifurcations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824-3591.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wickham
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000502:physiology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation; D008954:Models, Biological; D014741:Video Recording