Abstract
Human erythrocytes in isotonic buffered (pH 7.4) saline/60 mM glucose containing 10% w/v Dextran 500 (a non-penetrating thickener) are reproducibly disrupted and/or fragmented when subjected to hydrodynamic shear stresses above a critical threshold. The haemoglobin-filled cell fragments (microspheres) resulting from cell break up closely resemble microdroplets formed from the break up of emulsion droplets, suggesting the possible application of elementary emulsion droplet theory. This theory provides an estimate of the tangential tension (Tm) within the cell membrane at the point of rupture (Tm = 0.5–0.8 dyn/cm for the average cell, and 0.2–0.3 dyn/cm for the weakest cells after 5 min shear at 25°C). Erythrocyte fragmentation is due to the application of shear stress and not some other concomitant of the shearing process.
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