Model Studies of the Rheology of Blood in Microvessels

Abstract

In the microcirculation, blood cannot be treated as a homogeneous fluid, but rather as a suspension. The individual cellular elements influence the hemodynamics. In this chapter, we shall study the behavior of red cells in microvessels. We will focus on the general features of cell-vessel interaction and their effect on the apparent viscosity of blood. Model experiments are used in these studies. In our models, the plasma is simulated by a silicone fluid, the red cells are simulated by gelatin pellets. With the model approach, apparent viscosity of blood in pulmonary capillaries is obtained. The Fahraeus-Lindqvist effect, Inversion of Fahraeus-Lindqvist effect, velocity distribution in microvessels, hematocrit in very narrow tubes, etc. are investigated.