Motion of rigid particles flowing in a microfluidic device with a pronounced stenosis: Trajectories and deformation index

Studies of in vitro blood flow behaviour in stenosis are essential not only as an attempt to understand this phenomenon, but also to develop microfluidic devices, as an alternative clinical methodology to detect blood diseases. Regarding a better understanding of the role that rigid Red Blood Cells (rRBCs) play in the blood flow behaviour, we have studied the trajectories and deformation of both, artificial rigid Red Blood Cells (arRBCs) and healthy ovine Red Blood Cells (RBCs), when subjected to a pronounced microstenosis. By using a high-speed video microscopy system, the present study was performed with different flow rates (1, 10 and 20 µl/min). The results have shown that healthy RBCs and arRBCs present deviations in their flow behaviour and deformation index, which might be a potential alternative clinical methodology to detect blood cells related diseases.

Motion of rigid particles flowing in a microfluidic device with a pronounced stenosis: Trajectories and deformation index Conference Paper