Altered rheology in human microcirculation resulting from abnormal erythrocytes

Abstract

High-speed cinematography was used to study the behavior of erythrocytes in the microcirculation of the human omentum and the canine mesentery. Normal human erythrocytes in the microcirculation of the human omentum and normal human or canine erythrocytes in the microcirculation of the canine mesentery exhibited remarkable flexibility. In capillaries the erythrocytes assumed a hollow paraboloid shape and, in larger vessels, reversible bending of the cells was frequently observed. In contrast, erythrocytes in the microcirculation of the omentum in patients with acquired hemolytic anemias were unaltered in shape when traversing capillaries. The cells in all observed vessels appeared as rigid, biconcave, distorted disks. Human, canine or sheep erythrocytes, after treatment with glutaraldehyde or formalin and tannic acid, when infused into the microcirculation of the canine mesentery, retained their biconcave shape while traversing capillaries. The rigidity of erythrocytes in some types of hemolytic anemia may be responsible for their shortened life span, either because of increased trauma to the cells as they travel through the systemic circulation or because of splenic trapping.