Impact of the membrane viscosity on the tank-treading behavior of red blood cells
Pascal Mattéoli, Franck Nicoud, Simon Mendez
Abstract
Numerical simulations are used to compare the impact of the internal fluid viscosity and the membrane viscosity on an isolated tank-treading red blood cell. Both decrease the tank-treading frequency, with moderate changes in the deformation and inclination of the red blood cell. However, it is shown that tank-treading frequencies from existing experiments are only retrieved if membrane viscosity is accounted for, and with an apparent shear-thinning of the membrane.
Topics & Concepts
ViscosityMembraneRed blood cellMaterials scienceBlood viscosityShear thinningShear rateChemistryComposite materialMedicineBiochemistryCardiologyBlood properties and coagulationErythrocyte Function and PathophysiologyRheology and Fluid Dynamics Studies