Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells
Microfluidic methods are an important tool for studying the microrheology of blood and the mechanical properties of blood cells—erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. In patients with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, sickle cell anemia, or cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular diseases, hemorheol...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Nadia Antonova Khristo Khristov |
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| description | Microfluidic methods are an important tool for studying the microrheology of blood and the mechanical properties of blood cells—erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. In patients with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, sickle cell anemia, or cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular diseases, hemorheological alterations are commonly observed. These include increased blood viscosity and red blood cell (RBC) aggregation, along with reduced RBC deformability. Such disturbances significantly contribute to impaired microcirculation and microvascular perfusion. In blood vessels, abnormal hemorheological parameters can elevate resistance to blood flow, exert greater mechanical stress on the endothelial wall, and lead to microvascular complications. Among these parameters, erythrocyte deformability is a potential biomarker for diseases including diabetes, malaria, and cancer. This review highlights recent advances in microfluidic technologies for in vitro assays of RBC deformability and aggregation, as well as leukocyte aggregation and adhesion. It summarizes the core principles of microfluidic platforms and the experimental findings related to hemodynamic parameters. The advantages and limitations of each technique are discussed, and future directions for improving these devices are explored. Additionally, some aspects of the modeling of the microrheological properties of blood cells are considered. Overall, the described microfluidic systems represent promising tools for investigating erythrocyte mechanics and leukocyte behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-77b69474c7b547b7ab6754d2a48ec15d |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-77b69474c7b547b7ab6754d2a48ec15d2025-08-20T04:00:49ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-07-011515829110.3390/app15158291Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood CellsNadia Antonova0Khristo Khristov1Department of Biomechanics, Institute of Mechanics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl.4, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaDepartment of Interfaces and Colloids, Institute of Physical Chemistry “R. Kaishev” at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl.11, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaMicrofluidic methods are an important tool for studying the microrheology of blood and the mechanical properties of blood cells—erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. In patients with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, sickle cell anemia, or cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular diseases, hemorheological alterations are commonly observed. These include increased blood viscosity and red blood cell (RBC) aggregation, along with reduced RBC deformability. Such disturbances significantly contribute to impaired microcirculation and microvascular perfusion. In blood vessels, abnormal hemorheological parameters can elevate resistance to blood flow, exert greater mechanical stress on the endothelial wall, and lead to microvascular complications. Among these parameters, erythrocyte deformability is a potential biomarker for diseases including diabetes, malaria, and cancer. This review highlights recent advances in microfluidic technologies for in vitro assays of RBC deformability and aggregation, as well as leukocyte aggregation and adhesion. It summarizes the core principles of microfluidic platforms and the experimental findings related to hemodynamic parameters. The advantages and limitations of each technique are discussed, and future directions for improving these devices are explored. Additionally, some aspects of the modeling of the microrheological properties of blood cells are considered. Overall, the described microfluidic systems represent promising tools for investigating erythrocyte mechanics and leukocyte behavior.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/15/8291microfluidicsmicrorheologymodeling |
| spellingShingle | Nadia Antonova Khristo Khristov Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells Applied Sciences microfluidics microrheology modeling |
| title | Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells |
| title_full | Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells |
| title_fullStr | Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells |
| title_short | Microrheological and Microfluidic Approaches for Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Blood Cells |
| title_sort | microrheological and microfluidic approaches for evaluation of the mechanical properties of blood cells |
| topic | microfluidics microrheology modeling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/15/8291 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nadiaantonova microrheologicalandmicrofluidicapproachesforevaluationofthemechanicalpropertiesofbloodcells AT khristokhristov microrheologicalandmicrofluidicapproachesforevaluationofthemechanicalpropertiesofbloodcells |