Some Factors Affecting Erythrocyte Deformability and Rupture

Abstract

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.