title: Margination of red blood cells infected by Plasmodium falciparum in a microvessel.
abstract: We investigated numerically the mechanism of margination of Plasmodium falciparum malaria-infected red blood cells (Pf-IRBCs) in micro-scale blood flow. Our model illustrates that continuous hydrodynamic interaction between a Pf-IRBC in the trophozoite stage (Pf-T-IRBC) and healthy red blood cells (HRBCs) results in the margination of the Pf-T-IRBC and, thus, a longer duration of contact with endothelial cells. The Pf-T-IRBC and HRBCs first form a "train". The volume fraction of RBCs is then locally increased, to approximately 40%, and this value is maintained for a long period of time due to the formation of a long train in high-hematocrit conditions. Even in low-hematocrit conditions, the local volume fraction is instantaneously elevated to 40% and the Pf-T-IRBC can migrate to the wall. However, the short train formed in low-hematocrit conditions does not provide continuous interaction, and the Pf-T-IRBC moves back to the center of the channel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Sendai 980-8579, Japan. yimai@pfsl.mech.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yohsuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Keita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakaaki
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Chwee Teck
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Takami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D055806:Microvessels / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000378:metabolism*