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Red blood cell rouleaux formation in dextran solution: dependence on polymer conformation
G Barshtein1, I Tamir, S Yedgar
1Department of Biochemistry, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
European Biophysics Journal : EBJ
|April 8, 1998
Summary
Dextran concentration affects red blood cell rouleaux formation velocity. Dextran
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Polymer Science
- Hematology
Background:
- Rouleaux formation (RF) velocity (RFV) is influenced by dextran concentration.
- Dextran exhibits coil and network conformations based on concentration, as per de Gennes' model.
- Previous studies indicate intercellular distance (D) in rouleaux increases with dextran molecular weight.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the critical concentration for dextran's effect on RFV (Ca) and its conformational change concentration (C*).
- To explore the correlation between intercellular distance (D) and polymer end-to-end distance (Rf).
Main Methods:
- Experimental examination of Ca and C* for various dextran molecular weights.
- Analysis of the relationship between intercellular distance (D) and polymer end-to-end distance (Rf).
Main Results:
- Ca and C* were found to coincide for all tested dextrans.
- The change in dextran conformation from coil to network correlates with the shift in RFV response.
- Intercellular distance (D) was found to correlate with polymer end-to-end distance (Rf), with D ≤ 1.5 Rf.
Conclusions:
- Dextran's conformational transition dictates its influence on red blood cell rouleaux formation.
- The observed intercellular distances are consistent with de Gennes' model of interacting polymer layers between surfaces.