Biomaterial Database

Some factors affecting erythrocyte deformability and rupture. 1978

A R Williams, and D R Morris

Human erythrocytes suspended in a viscous isotonic saline medium may be ruptured in vitro by the application of uniform hydrodynamic shear stresses. For any given combination of exposure parameters, cellular fragility is a measure of cellular deformability; i.e., it is related to the cellular dimensions that result from the competition between those forces that tend to extend the cell and those forces--particularly those associated with the resistance to bending of the membrane--that tend to restore the cell to its original biconcave shape. The pharmacologically active agent nicotinic acid increases cellular fragility in our experimental system and so has presumably increased the deformability of the human erythrocyte.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009539	Nicotinic Acids	2-, 3-, or 4-Pyridinecarboxylic acids. Pyridine derivatives substituted with a carboxy group at the 2-, 3-, or 4-position. The 3-carboxy derivative (NIACIN) is active as a vitamin.	Acids, Nicotinic
D001809	Blood Viscosity	The internal resistance of the BLOOD to shear forces. The in vitro measure of whole blood viscosity is of limited clinical utility because it bears little relationship to the actual viscosity within the circulation, but an increase in the viscosity of circulating blood can contribute to morbidity in patients suffering from disorders such as SICKLE CELL ANEMIA and POLYCYTHEMIA.	Blood Viscosities,Viscosities, Blood,Viscosity, Blood
D004910	Erythrocyte Membrane	The semi-permeable outer structure of a red blood cell. It is known as a red cell 'ghost' after HEMOLYSIS.	Erythrocyte Ghost,Red Cell Cytoskeleton,Red Cell Ghost,Erythrocyte Cytoskeleton,Cytoskeleton, Erythrocyte,Cytoskeleton, Red Cell,Erythrocyte Cytoskeletons,Erythrocyte Ghosts,Erythrocyte Membranes,Ghost, Erythrocyte,Ghost, Red Cell,Membrane, Erythrocyte,Red Cell Cytoskeletons,Red Cell Ghosts
D004913	Erythrocytes, Abnormal	Oxygen-carrying RED BLOOD CELLS in mammalian blood that are abnormal in structure or function.	Abnormal Erythrocytes,Abnormal Erythrocyte,Erythrocyte, Abnormal
D006461	Hemolysis	The destruction of ERYTHROCYTES by many different causal agents such as antibodies, bacteria, chemicals, temperature, and changes in tonicity.	Haemolysis,Extravascular Hemolysis,Intravascular Hemolysis,Extravascular Hemolyses,Haemolyses,Hemolyses, Extravascular,Hemolyses, Intravascular,Hemolysis, Extravascular,Hemolysis, Intravascular,Intravascular Hemolyses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013314	Stress, Mechanical	A purely physical condition which exists within any material because of strain or deformation by external forces or by non-uniform thermal expansion; expressed quantitatively in units of force per unit area.	Mechanical Stress,Mechanical Stresses,Stresses, Mechanical