A simplified model for red cell dynamics in small blood vessels
chao-dyn
2009-10-31 v2 Chaotic Dynamics
q-bio
Abstract
A simple mechanism for the confinement of red cells in the middle of narrow blood vessels is proposed. In the presence of a quadratic shear, red cells deform in such a way to loose fore-aft symmetry and to achieve a fixed orientation with respect to the flow. This leads to a drift away from the vessel walls, when the vessel diameter goes below a critical value depending on the viscoelastic properties and the dimensions of the cell.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.chao-dyn/9805007,
title = {A simplified model for red cell dynamics in small blood vessels},
author = {Piero Olla},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:chao-dyn/9805007},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
7 pages, 3 figures; to be published on Phys. Rev. Lett.; various modifications to text and figures