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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Characterization of Sickling During Controlled Automated Deoxygenation with Oxygen Gradient Ektacytometry

Characterization of Sickling During Controlled Automated Deoxygenation with Oxygen Gradient Ektacytometry

Published on: November 5, 2019

Sickle cell biomechanics.

Gilda A Barabino¹, Manu O Platt, Dhananjay K Kaul

¹The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA. barabino@gatech.edu

Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering

|May 12, 2010

Summary

Sickle cell disease (SCD) involves fragile red blood cells (RBCs) that impair blood flow due to hemoglobin S polymerization. Understanding RBC biomechanics is key to understanding SCD pathophysiology.

Area of Science:

Biophysics
Hematology
Cardiovascular Physiology

Background:

Red blood cells (RBCs) are the primary determinants of blood rheology and hemodynamics.
Altered RBC biomechanical properties are central to sickle cell disease (SCD) pathophysiology.
Hemoglobin S (HbS) polymerization and RBC sickling under deoxygenation significantly impact blood flow.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the characterization of biomechanical properties of sickle RBCs.
To discuss the implications of these properties for understanding SCD pathophysiology.
To highlight the role of altered RBC mechanics in disease progression.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies characterizing sickle RBC biomechanics.
Analysis of data on RBC deformability, viscosity, and adhesion.

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Characterization of Sickling During Controlled Automated Deoxygenation with Oxygen Gradient Ektacytometry

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Published on: November 5, 2019

Endothelialized Microfluidics for Studying Microvascular Interactions in Hematologic Diseases

Endothelialized Microfluidics for Studying Microvascular Interactions in Hematologic Diseases

Published on: June 22, 2012

Integration of findings on HbS polymerization and sickling dynamics.

Main Results:

Sickle RBCs exhibit reduced deformability and increased fragility compared to normal RBCs.
Altered RBC biomechanics contribute to vaso-occlusion and impaired microcirculation in SCD.
HbS polymerization is the primary driver of RBC shape change and rigidity.

Conclusions:

Characterizing the biomechanical properties of sickle RBCs is crucial for understanding SCD.
These properties directly influence blood flow dynamics and disease severity.
Further research into RBC mechanics may reveal new therapeutic targets for SCD.