The effect of plasma viscosity on the resistance of erythrocyte movement along capillaries
Kopyl'tsov, A.V.
Biofizika 34(6): 1046-1050
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-3029 PMID: 2631958 Document Number: 345104
By means of three-dimensional mathematical model describing movement of an asymmetric erythrocyte along the capillary of a small section the effect of the viscosity of the blood plasma on the resistance value to the erythrocyte movement in microvessels was studied. The model takes into account the elastic properties of the erythrocyte, the volume and area of its surface and the mobility of the membrane performing the rotation. It is shown that for characteristic conditions of hemodynamics experimentally observed in the microcirculation system the pressure gradient on the erythrocyte ends is 3-5-fold above the difference of pressures at the ends of plasma column of similar length. The dependence of the pressure gradient at the erythrocyte ends, which accounts for its movement along the capillary, on plasma viscosity is determined at different values of erythrocyte velocity.