title: Effect of normal human erythrocytes on blood rheology in microcirculation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Effects of RBCs on blood rheology were studied using a microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluidity of four types of samples prepared from the venous blood of healthy volunteers was examined in terms of passage time through the microchannel array of MC-FAN (model KH-3): (1) physiological saline-RBC suspensions and plasma-RBC suspensions, each adjusted to a predetermined hematocrit value; (2) suspensions of glutaraldehyde-treated hardened RBCs; (3) fibrinogen-RBC and albumin-RBC suspensions; and (4) dextran-RBC suspensions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hematocrit positively correlated with passage time. Both plasma and fibrinogen prolonged passage time significantly. Hardened RBCs completely obstructed the microchannel. The passage time of dextran-RBC suspensions was prolonged in a dextran molecular weight- and concentration-dependent manner and was dependent on the passage time of the solution alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood rheology, as determined by MC-FAN, is affected not by RBC aggregation but hematocrit, RBC deformability, and the passage time of the solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. c-h@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Chika
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kutsuna
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishina
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003911:Dextrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000502:physiology; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D010949:Plasma / Q000502:physiology; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D005340:Fibrinogen; D005976:Glutaral