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Determinants of leukocyte margination in rectangular microchannels
1Steele Lab for Tumor Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Plos One
|September 22, 2009
Summary
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels are useful for studying blood flow, particularly white blood cell (WBC) margination. These pseudo-2D channels enable high margination efficiency while preserving blood rheology and cell integrity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Fluid Dynamics
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfabrication offers tools for microvessel blood flow studies.
- Understanding the capabilities and constraints of PDMS technology in blood flow analysis is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the suitability of PDMS microchannels for analyzing blood flow.
- Investigate white blood cell (WBC) margination in varying channel geometries and blood compositions.
Main Methods:
- Studied WBC margination in PDMS microchannels with different geometries.
- Analyzed the influence of blood composition, including red blood cell (RBC) aggregation.
- Compared margination in pseudo-2D rectangular channels versus traditional tubes.
Main Results:
- WBCs preferentially marginate downstream of sudden expansions.
- RBC aggregation enhances WBC margination.
- In pseudo-2D channels, WBC margination was confined to sidewalls, achieving >95% efficiency.
- Blood rheology and cell integrity were maintained across tested flow rates.
Conclusions:
- Rectangular PDMS microfluidic channels are valuable for quantitative blood rheology studies.
- Limitations exist, primarily related to vertical shear rates in pseudo-2D channels.
