Hashemi Z, Rahnama M
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng. 2016 Nov;32(11). doi: 10.1002/cnm.2763. Epub 2016 Jan 20.
In a number of human diseases such as diabetes mellitus and sickle cell anemia, variations in mechanical properties of red blood cells (RBCs) occur and cause reduced deformability. Investigating the behavior of such abnormal, hardened RBCs in microcapillary flow is of prime importance because of their effects on oxygen transport process. In the present paper, dynamic response of a RBC to a microcapillary flow is numerically studied at steady and transient conditions, considering the effect of essential parameters including RBC deformability, its initial orientation, velocity, and flow pressure gradient. Simulations are performed using a three-dimensional hybrid method, combining lattice Boltzmann method for plasma flow, finite element method for RBC membrane analysis, and immersed boundary method for their interaction. Quantitative and qualitative validations with the experimental data for different RBC velocities verify the accuracy of applied numerical method. Apart from the initial orientation, RBC experiences a complex shape deformation in which the biconcave discoid shape changes to a parachute-like shape. While deformation index of RBC does not change considerably with RBC deformability at steady state condition, it plays an important role in its shape evolution under transient condition. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
在许多人类疾病中，如糖尿病和镰状细胞贫血，红细胞（RBC）的力学性能会发生变化并导致变形性降低。研究此类异常、硬化的红细胞在微毛细管流动中的行为至关重要，因为它们会影响氧气运输过程。在本文中，考虑到包括红细胞变形性、其初始取向、速度和流动压力梯度等基本参数的影响，对红细胞在微毛细管流动中的动态响应进行了稳态和瞬态条件下的数值研究。使用三维混合方法进行模拟，该方法结合了用于血浆流动的格子玻尔兹曼方法、用于红细胞膜分析的有限元方法以及用于它们相互作用的浸入边界方法。对不同红细胞速度的实验数据进行的定量和定性验证证实了所应用数值方法的准确性。除了初始取向外，红细胞会经历复杂的形状变形，其中双凹盘状形状会变为降落伞状。虽然在稳态条件下红细胞的变形指数不会随红细胞变形性而显著变化，但它在瞬态条件下其形状演变中起着重要作用。版权所有© 2016约翰威立父子有限公司。
