Biomaterial Database

Red blood cell aggregation in preterm and term neonates and adults. 1984

O Linderkamp, and P Ozanne, and P Y Wu, and H J Meiselman

Aggregation of red blood cells (RBC) is a major determinant of blood viscosity and of blood circulation through vessels with slow flow (i.e. veins). RBC aggregation and plasma fibrinogen were studied in placental blood samples from 25 neonates with 24 to 41 wk of gestation and in blood from 13 normal adults. The rate and final extent of RBC aggregation were measured by means of a rheoscope (increase in light transmission during blood stasis). Both the rate and extent of RBC aggregation were low in the premature infants, increased with gestational age, and reached the highest values in the adults. Blood from seven infants with 24 to 28 wk of gestation did not show any significant RBC aggregation during the first minute of stasis. RBC aggregation was closely related to the fibrinogen level. Cross-suspension studies (neonatal RBC in adult plasma and adult RBC in neonatal plasma) showed that neonatal and adult RBC had the same aggregation pattern when they were suspended in the same plasma. Moreover, neonatal and adult RBC demonstrated the same strong aggregation when they were resuspended in 1% dextran. These results indicate that specific plasma properties are responsible for the decreased RBC aggregation observed in the neonates while their specific RBC properties do not affect RBC aggregation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234	Infant, Premature	A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION.	Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D010992	Plethysmography, Impedance	Recording changes in electrical impedance between electrodes placed on opposite sides of a part of the body, as a measure of volume changes in the path of the current. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Rheography,Impedance Plethysmography,Impedance Plethysmographies,Plethysmographies, Impedance,Rheographies
D004903	Erythrocyte Aggregation	The formation of clumps of RED BLOOD CELLS under low or non-flow conditions, resulting from the attraction forces between the red blood cells. The cells adhere to each other in rouleaux aggregates. Slight mechanical force, such as occurs in the circulation, is enough to disperse these aggregates. Stronger or weaker than normal aggregation may result from a variety of effects in the ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE or in BLOOD PLASMA. The degree of aggregation is affected by ERYTHROCYTE DEFORMABILITY, erythrocyte membrane sialylation, masking of negative surface charge by plasma proteins, etc. BLOOD VISCOSITY and the ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE are affected by the amount of erythrocyte aggregation and are parameters used to measure the aggregation.	Erythrocyte Aggregation, Intravascular,Agglutination, Intravascular,Intravascular Agglutination,Intravascular Erythrocyte Aggregation,Rouleaux Formation, Erythrocyte,Agglutinations, Intravascular,Aggregation, Erythrocyte,Aggregation, Intravascular Erythrocyte,Aggregations, Erythrocyte,Aggregations, Intravascular Erythrocyte,Erythrocyte Aggregations,Erythrocyte Aggregations, Intravascular,Erythrocyte Rouleaux Formation,Erythrocyte Rouleaux Formations,Formation, Erythrocyte Rouleaux,Formations, Erythrocyte Rouleaux,Intravascular Agglutinations,Intravascular Erythrocyte Aggregations,Rouleaux Formations, Erythrocyte
D005340	Fibrinogen	Plasma glycoprotein clotted by thrombin, composed of a dimer of three non-identical pairs of polypeptide chains (alpha, beta, gamma) held together by disulfide bonds. Fibrinogen clotting is a sol-gel change involving complex molecular arrangements: whereas fibrinogen is cleaved by thrombin to form polypeptides A and B, the proteolytic action of other enzymes yields different fibrinogen degradation products.	Coagulation Factor I,Factor I,Blood Coagulation Factor I,gamma-Fibrinogen,Factor I, Coagulation,gamma Fibrinogen
D005865	Gestational Age	The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination.	Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006400	Hematocrit	The volume of packed RED BLOOD CELLS in a blood specimen. The volume is measured by centrifugation in a tube with graduated markings, or with automated blood cell counters. It is an indicator of erythrocyte status in disease. For example, ANEMIA shows a low value; POLYCYTHEMIA, a high value.	Erythrocyte Volume, Packed,Packed Red-Cell Volume,Erythrocyte Volumes, Packed,Hematocrits,Packed Erythrocyte Volume,Packed Erythrocyte Volumes,Packed Red Cell Volume,Packed Red-Cell Volumes,Red-Cell Volume, Packed,Red-Cell Volumes, Packed,Volume, Packed Erythrocyte,Volume, Packed Red-Cell,Volumes, Packed Erythrocyte,Volumes, Packed Red-Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults