title: Optical assay of erythrocyte function in banked blood.
abstract: Stored red blood cells undergo numerous biochemical, structural, and functional changes, commonly referred to as storage lesion. How much these changes impede the ability of erythrocytes to perform their function and, as result, impact clinical outcomes in transfusion patients is unknown. In this study we investigate the effect of the storage on the erythrocyte membrane deformability and morphology. Using optical interferometry we imaged red blood cell (RBC) topography with nanometer sensitivity. Our time-lapse imaging quantifies membrane fluctuations at the nanometer scale, which in turn report on cell stiffness. This property directly impacts the cell's ability to transport oxygen in microvasculature. Interestingly, we found that cells which apparently maintain their normal shape (discocyte) throughout the storage period, stiffen progressively with storage time. By contrast, static parameters, such as mean cell hemoglobin content and morphology do not change during the same period. We propose that our method can be used as an effective assay for monitoring erythrocyte functionality during storage time.
authors.affiliation: Quantitative Light Imaging Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Basanta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhaduri
authors.affiliation: Quantitative Light Imaging Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kandel
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Laboratory Medicine, 300 Longwood Avenue, Bader, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brugnara
authors.affiliation: Christie Clinic and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Pathology 1400 West Park Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tangella
authors.affiliation: Quantitative Light Imaging Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Popescu
mesh_terms: D001771:Blood Banks; D001793:Blood Preservation; D048430:Cell Shape; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins