Internal viscosity of the red cell: Problems associated with definition of plasma viscosity and effective volume of red cells in the blood viscosity equation 1

Abstract

Effective application of the blood viscosity equation ${\mathit{\eta }}_{\mathit{r}}={\mathrm{(}1-\mathit{k}\mathit{C}\mathit{T}\mathrm{)}}^{-2.5}$ depends on accuracy of blood and plasma viscosity determinations, and on estimation of free volume of red cells, Ck. When microhaematocrits are used, term Tk can supply an estimate of the rigidity-deformability of the red cells. [n the unusual cases when the relative viscosity of blood is about equal viscosity of plasma, a hypothesis is given that this apparently “absurd” phenomenon might be due to heterogeneous distribution of plasma proteins and formation of “plasma atmosphere” around the red cells (especially in macroglobulinaemia).