title: Rapid cell-deformability sensing system based on slit-flow laser diffractometry with decreasing pressure differential.
abstract: A slit-flow apparatus with a laser-diffraction method has been developed with significant advances in ektacytometry design, operation and data analysis. In the slit-flow ektacytometry, the deformation of red blood cells subjected to continuously decreasing shear stress in slit-flow can be quickly measured with adopting a laser-diffraction technique. Both the laser-diffraction image and pressure were measured with respect to time, which enable to determine the elongation index (EI) and the shear stress. The range of shear stress is 0-35 Pa and the measuring time is < 2 min. The EI is determined from an isointensity curve in the diffraction pattern using an ellipse-fitting program. The present study proposed the deformability index (DI) as a new measure of the RBC deformability, which is defined as an integral area under the EI curve between 0 and tau10 (tau(w) = 0-10). The key advantage of this design is the incorporation of a disposable element that holds the blood sample, which enables the present system to be easily used in a clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 1370 Sankyuk-dong Book-gu, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea. shins@wmail.knu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Sehyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yunhee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Myung-Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joo-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jang-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D013997:Time Factors