Sickle cell vaso-occlusion in an animal model; intravital microscopy and radionuclide imaging of selective sequestration of dense cells
Kurantsin-Mills, J.; Jacobs, H.M.; Lessin, L.S.
Progress in Clinical and Biological Research 240: 313-327
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0361-7742 PMID: 3112802 Document Number: 300996
The impaired deformability and heterogeneity of erythrocytes in sickle cell disease endows them with abnormal microvascular flow dynamics. In the sickle cell exchange-transfused rat model, sickle cells exhibit lower volumetric flux and shear rates compared to normal (HbAA) or autologous rat cells. A subpopulation of dense sickle cells and irreversibly sickled cells show a propensity to induce occlusion at precapillary arterioles, residing at such sites for several seconds and causing local rheological disequilibrium. Radionuclide studies with indium-111 demonstrate preferential uptake of labeled HbSS cells in pulmonary microcirculation. These data are relevant to the factors that are involved in the initiation and propagatin of vaso-occlusion resulting in derangement of homeostasis in certain microvascular beds and perhaps painful crisis and selective organ injury.