Protocol for inspecting blood cell dynamics with a custom ektacytometer-rheometer apparatus

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Hematology
• Optical Physics

Background:

• Studying red blood cell (RBC) behavior is crucial for understanding physiological functions and diseases.
• Current commercial tools have limitations in observing individual RBCs or cell populations in dynamic states.
• Real-time analysis of RBC deformability, morphology, and orientation is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a custom apparatus for near-real-time analysis of flowing red blood cells.
• To overcome limitations of existing methods for RBC investigation.
• To provide a framework for building advanced blood cell analysis systems.

Main Methods:

• Integration of coaxial brightfield microscopy with laser diffractometry.
• Development of a custom apparatus for high-resolution imaging and analysis of RBCs in flow.
• Protocol for detailed inspection of RBC deformability, morphology, and orientation.

Main Results:

• The custom apparatus enables near-real-time inspection of flowing RBCs.
• The system effectively analyzes RBC deformability, morphology, and orientation.
• Demonstrated a viable method for detailed blood cell analysis.

Conclusions:

• The developed ektacytoscope provides a novel approach for studying flowing RBCs.
• This protocol offers a framework for creating advanced optical systems for blood cell research.
• The findings contribute to improved methods for hematological investigation.