Morphological Factors and Forces Acting in Normal and Sickled Erythrocytes in Sickle Cell Anemia: A Mathematical Model

Abstract

We carried out a theoretical study that considers the morphological factors and forces acting on a normal and a sickled blood cell. Sickle cell disease is associated with vaso-occlusion which creates blood flow crises as a result of loss in shape memory of the normal red blood cell. Certain forces and chemical compositions acting on the cell could retain the shape memory. The problem of a second order partial differential equation modeled was solved to get the forces and chemical composition required to restore the sickled red blood cells back to its original shape. The results gotten showed that, increase in chemical reaction increased the RBC growth by creating a stretching force that causes the sickle cell to regain elasticity with improved oxygen.