Kinetics of optical tweezers (OT)-induced spontaneous aggregation and disaggregation of red blood cells (RBCs) were studied at the level of cell doublets to assess RBC interaction mechanics. Measurements were performed under in vitro conditions in plasma and fibrinogen and fibrinogen + albumin solutions. The RBC spontaneous aggregation kinetics was found to exhibit different behavior depending ...

The hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis harbors a type III ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rbc(Tk)). It has previously been shown that Rbc(Tk) is capable of supporting photoautotrophic and photoheterotrophic growth in a mesophilic host cell, Rhodopseudomonas palustris Delta3, whose three native Rubisco genes had been disrupted. Here, we have examined the enzym...

We present a rigorous procedure to derive coarse-grained red blood cell (RBC) models, which lead to accurate mechanical properties of realistic RBCs. Based on a semi-analytic theory linear and nonlinear elastic properties of the RBC membrane can be matched with those obtained in optical tweezers stretching experiments. In addition, we develop a nearly stress-free model which avoids a number of ...

Muscle contractions evoke an immediate rise in blood flow. Distribution of this hyperemia within the capillary bed may be deterministic for muscle O(2) diffusing capacity and remains unresolved. We developed the exteriorized rat (n = 4) spinotrapezius muscle for evaluation of capillary hemodynamics before (rest), during, and immediately after (post) a bout of twitch contractions to resolve (sec...

Currently, the optimal therapy of primary liver cancer (PLC) remains to be hepatic resection. For better management of the patients, we evaluated the prognostic predicting value of red blood cell (RBC) count, a routine laboratory parameter, on the long-term survival of patients who underwent surgical treatment. Clinical and laboratory data of 758 patients, who underwent surgical hepatic resecti...

The effect of Maillard reaction on red blood cells (RBC) deformability was investigated. Exposure of RBC to carbonyl compounds (dl-glyceraldehyde, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, 3-deoxyglucosone, and d-glucose) leading to Maillard reaction caused a marked decrease in RBC deformability even at 1mM level. The decrease rate depended on the kind of carbonyl compounds, in which both dl-glyceraldehyde and ...

Sickle red cell (SS RBC) adhesion is believed to contribute to the process of vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease (SCD). We previously found that the LW RBC adhesion receptor can be activated by epinephrine to mediate SS RBC adhesion to endothelial alphavbeta3 integrin. To determine the contribution of LW activation to vaso-occlusive events in vivo, we investigated whether in vitro treatment ...

Even though red blood cell (RBC) vesiculation is a well-documented phenomenon, notably in the context of RBC aging and blood transfusion, the exact signalling pathways and kinases involved in this process remain largely unknown. We have established a screening method for RBC vesicle shedding using the Ca(2+) ionophore ionomycin which is a rapid and efficient method to promote vesiculation. In o...

Strategies for the management of anemia in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) have evolved following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of three new therapeutics from one of symptom amelioration with red blood cell (RBC) transfusions to one of active treatment. Most patients develop transfusion-dependent anemia over the course of their disease, however, and its adver...

experiments were performed at 37°C. Rates of CO2 excretion were determined by measuring the fraction of CO2 in mixed expired gas in a steady state. The time-course of extracellular pH equilibration in the effluent perfusate was measured in a downstream stopflow pH electrode apparatus. CO2 excretion was reduced by 16% when the lungs were perfused with suspensions containing erythrocytes whose HC...