The Rheology of the Carotid Sinus: A Path Toward Bioinspired Intervention
Andrew Iskander1, Coskun Bilgi2, Rotem Naftalovich3,4
1Department of Anesthesiology, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States.
Insights
The carotid sinus may measure blood viscosity using unique flow patterns and PIEZO receptors. This discovery could lead to new ways to monitor and optimize blood flow for better cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Blood viscosity is linked to various pathological conditions.
- The mechanism by which the body regulates blood viscosity is not fully understood.
- The carotid sinus is known for baroreception, sensing blood pressure changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the carotid sinus as a potential site for measuring blood viscosity.
- To explore the role of unique flow dynamics and PIEZO receptors in viscosity sensing.
- To propose a novel bioinspired approach for real-time blood viscosity monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on carotid sinus function and baroreception.
- Analysis of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of blood flow in the carotid sinus.
- Consideration of recent findings on PIEZO receptor family in the sinus vessel wall.
Main Results:
- Unique flow patterns within the carotid sinus suggest it is an ideal site for transducing flow data.
- PIEZO receptors in the sinus vessel wall may provide a biological basis for viscosity sensing.
- Integration of flow data with other biomarkers could enable real-time viscosity measurement.
Conclusions:
- The carotid sinus presents a novel venue for bioinspired design focused on blood flow optimization.
- Real-time blood viscosity measurement could be achieved by leveraging carotid sinus biomechanics.
- This approach may enable end-users to manipulate and optimize blood flow for improved cardiovascular health.
Abstract:
The association between blood viscosity and pathological conditions involving a number of organ systems is well known. However, how the body measures and maintains appropriate blood viscosity is not well-described. The literature endorsing the function of the carotid sinus as a site of baroreception can be traced back to some of the earliest descriptions of digital pressure on the neck producing a drop in blood delivery to the brain. For the last 30 years, improved computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations of blood flow within the carotid sinus have demonstrated a more nuanced understanding of the changes in the region as it relates to changes in conventional metrics of cardiovascular function, including blood pressure. We suggest that the unique flow patterns within the carotid sinus may make it an ideal site to transduce flow data that can, in turn, enable real-time measurement of blood viscosity. The recent characterization of the PIEZO receptor family in the sinus vessel wall may provide a biological basis for this characterization. When coupled with other biomarkers of cardiovascular performance and descriptions of the blood rheology unique to the sinus region, this represents a novel venue for bioinspired design that may enable end-users to manipulate and optimize blood flow.
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