Erythrocyte sedimentation realizable in terms of population dynamics

Abstract

A phenomenological theory is formulated in analogy to the theory of population dynamics to account for the observed erythrocyte sedimentation–time and velocity–time curves. The least square fitting of experimental data to the derived equations is quite satisfactory. Several parameters in the proposed equations can be used to characterize these two curves of erythrocyte sedimentation: the biotic potential or intrinsic rate of decrease of the lacuna population, r; the total distance settled by the interface between plasma and red cell column, K·Δh; the maximal settling velocity of the interface, V _max; the time when V _max occurs, t_mv; and the final position of the interface, H_f.