title: Microfluidic interactions between red blood cells and drug carriers by image analysis techniques.
abstract: Blood is a complex biological fluid composed of deformable cells and platelets suspended in plasma, a protein-rich liquid. The peculiar nature of blood needs to be considered when designing a drug delivery strategy based on systemically administered carriers. Here, we report on an in vitro fluid dynamic investigation of the influence of the microcapillary flow of red blood cells (RBCs) on micron-sized carriers by high-speed imaging methods. The experiments were carried out in a 50 µm diameter glass capillary that mimicked the hydrodynamic conditions of human microcirculation. Spherical μ-particles (μ-Ps), with sizes ranging between 0.5 and 3 µm, were tested. Images of the flowing RBCs and μ-Ps were acquired by a high- speed/high-magnification microscopy. The transport and distribution of rigid particles in a suspension of RBCs under shear flow were investigated by analyzing: (i) the velocity profile of both μ-Ps and RBCs in the capillary; (ii) the radial distribution of μ-Ps in the presence of RBCs; (iii) the migration of μ-Ps towards the vessel wall due to their hydrodynamic interactions with RBCs. This study suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of μ-Ps could be ultimately affected by their interactions with the flowing RBCs in the vasculature.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie avanzate, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Apolito
authors.affiliation: Department of NanoMedicine, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taraballi
authors.affiliation: National Research Council of Italy - Institute of Science and Techonology for Ceramics, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.affiliation: Department of NanoMedicine, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Xuewu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie avanzate, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caserta
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cevenini
authors.affiliation: Department of NanoMedicine, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tasciotti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie avanzate, Napoli, Italy. Electronic address: g.tomaiuolo@unina.it.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomaiuolo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie avanzate, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guido
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000502:physiology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008833:Microcirculation; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D010316:Particle Size; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid
keywords: Drug delivery; Microcirculation; Red blood cells; μ-particles