Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
07:30
In Vitro Model of Physiological and Pathological Blood Flow with Application to Investigations of Vascular Cell Remodeling
Published on: November 3, 2015
Red blood cell flow in the cardiovascular system: a fluid dynamics perspective
Thakir D AlMomani1, Sarah C Vigmostad, Venkat Keshav Chivukula
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan. thakir2000@hu.edu.jo
Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering
|January 24, 2013
Summary
Understanding red blood cell (RBC) dynamics is crucial for cardiovascular health and blood property research. Current experimental and computational methods still face challenges in fully capturing RBC behavior under physiological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Red blood cell (RBC) dynamics are integral to the cardiovascular system.
- RBC behavior significantly impacts cardiovascular diseases, assistive device design, and blood rheology.
- Decades of research have focused on understanding RBCs under various flow conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of research on red blood cell dynamics over the past few decades.
- To highlight the progress and persistent challenges in studying RBC behavior.
- To identify key areas for future research in RBC mechanics.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental studies on RBC dynamics.
- Analysis of numerical and computational modeling approaches for RBCs.
- Examination of RBC behavior under different flow conditions.
Main Results:
- Significant advancements have been made in both experimental and numerical investigations of RBCs.
- Experimental limitations include the scale of RBCs for physiological condition measurements.
- Computational models often simplify RBC mechanics, focusing on single cells in 2D domains.
Conclusions:
- A complete understanding of RBC mechanics and dynamics remains an ongoing challenge.
- Further development of advanced computational models is needed for 3D physiological flow regimes.
- Accurate modeling of RBC deformation and movement is essential for clinical applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Blood Flow
Blood is pumped by the heart into the aorta, the largest artery in the body, and then into increasingly smaller arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. The velocity of blood flow decreases with increased cross-sectional blood vessel area. As blood returns to the heart through venules and veins, its velocity increases. The movement of blood is encouraged by smooth muscle in the vessel walls, the movement of skeletal muscle surrounding the vessels, and one-way valves that prevent backflow.
01:07Laminar and Turbulent Flow
Fluid dynamics is the study of fluids in motion. Velocity vectors are often used to illustrate fluid motion in applications like meteorology. For example, wind—the fluid motion of air in the atmosphere—can be represented by vectors indicating the speed and direction of the wind at any given point on a map. Another method for representing fluid motion is a streamline. A streamline represents the path of a small volume of fluid as it flows. When the flow pattern changes with time, the streamlines...
01:27Applications of Integration to Find Blood Flow
Blood flow through a cylindrical blood vessel can be mathematically described using the principles of laminar flow, a regime in which fluid moves smoothly in parallel layers. In this model, the velocity of the blood is not uniform across the cross-section of the vessel; rather, it varies with the radial distance from the center. The maximum velocity occurs along the central axis, decreasing progressively toward the vessel walls, where it reaches zero due to viscous drag.Approximating Blood...
01:17Autoregulation of Blood Flow
Autoregulation mechanisms are characterized by their inherent capacity for self-regulation without necessitating specific nervous stimulation or endocrine control. These mechanisms facilitate the adjustment of blood flow and, therefore, perfusion specific to each tissue region. This self-regulation encompasses chemical signals and myogenic controls.
Chemical Signaling in Autoregulation
Chemical signaling operates at the precapillary sphincter level, inciting either contraction or relaxation.
Chemical Signaling in Autoregulation
Chemical signaling operates at the precapillary sphincter level, inciting either contraction or relaxation.
01:27Steady Flow of a Fluid Stream
Consider a control volume, such as a pipe with solid boundaries, through which fluid flows and changes direction due to the impulse exerted by the resulting force from the pipe walls. In steady flow, the mass of fluid entering the control volume at a given time, t, with velocity v1, is equal to the mass leaving after infinitesimal time dt, with velocity v2.
During this process, the momentum of the fluid within the control volume remains constant over the time interval dt. By applying the...
During this process, the momentum of the fluid within the control volume remains constant over the time interval dt. By applying the...
01:14Overview of the Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system is a vital transportation system in the body. It comprises the heart and blood vessels and facilitates the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products.
Heart
The heart is the central pump of the cardiovascular system that circulates blood throughout the body. It comprises two atria receiving the blood and two ventricles pumping blood out of the heart. Their rhythmic contractions, called heartbeats, ensure that blood flow remains continuous.
Blood Vessels
Blood...
Heart
The heart is the central pump of the cardiovascular system that circulates blood throughout the body. It comprises two atria receiving the blood and two ventricles pumping blood out of the heart. Their rhythmic contractions, called heartbeats, ensure that blood flow remains continuous.
Blood Vessels
Blood...