[Aggregation of erythrocytes placed in macro- and micro-cuvettes]

Changes of the intensity of light reflected or passing through cuvette with the blood specify the degree of blood aggregation. The parameters of light reflection by the surface of blood in macro-cuvette are compared with those of light passage through a thin micro-cuvette with preliminarily stirred blood. The latter technique enables a direct microscopy of the erythrocytes aggregation. Virtually similar results were obtained with blood of different animals and with different values of hematocrit. The data suggest a correlation between velocity of the aggregation and increase of the hematocrit value. Causes of discrepancies of the absolute values of parameters under study are discussed.