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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Viscoelastic Properties of Red Blood Cells Using Optical Tweezers and Defocusing Microscopy
Published on: March 25, 2022
Energy requirements of erythrocytes under mechanical stress
Abstract:
Factors influencing an increase of glucose consumption in erythrocytes under mechanical stress were studied. Under the shear stress of 2000-5000 s-1 the glucose consumption goes up 20-50%. This effect disappears in protein-free media, in Ca2+-free media and in resealed red ghosts; in all these cases certain morphological deviations were observed in the stressed cells. These results confirm the vital role of energy-consuming contractile apparatus of erythrocyte membrane in restoration of the smooth biconcave shape after deformation.
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