title: RBC aggregation in dextran solutions can be measured by flow cytometry.
abstract: The impact of macromolecules on RBC aggregation continues to be of interest, nevertheless present measurements still have limitations and need improvement. We applied flow cytometry to measure RBC aggregation in dextran T500 (Dx500) solution. The samples were fixed in the aggregated state by glutaraldehyde. Fixed RBC exhibit auto fluorescence, which can be detected by flow cytometry. Single cells, doublets, triplets and larger aggregates can be distinguished quantitatively and quickly due to the correlation between auto fluorescence intensity and number of RBC per measured event. With the increase in concentration of Dx500, percentages of all aggregates and bigger aggregates increased significantly at concentration of 2%, 4% and 6%, while decreased when the concentration reached 8% and 10%. The percentage of bigger aggregates in concentration of 4% was higher than that in 2% and 6%. The data of flow cytometry was confirmed by microscopic observation and are in good agreement with the literature. The method provide additional advantages to the conventional measurement of RBC aggregation. It gets the distribution of single cells and aggregates as derived from the microscopic observation with hematocrit of physiological level. It uses sample volume as 1/5∼1/10 as needed in sendimentation and photometricmethods.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Waraporn
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaewprayoon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Radostina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Georgieva
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bäumler
mesh_terms: D003911:Dextrans / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D012996:Solutions
keywords: RBC aggregation; dextran; flow cytometry