Reduction of Erythrocyte Fluid Adaptability Due to Cell Membrane Hardening Based on Single-Cell Analysis

Because of the rapid development of precision medicine, single-cell analysis has attracted increasing research attention, especially for erythrocyte, whose potential role in the formation of vascular plaque (atherosclerosis) has emphasized the importance of flow characteristics of single erythrocytes in bionic microfluidics. Based on the high incidence of vascular plaques among the elderly and those who have received blood transfusions, we hypothesized that cell membrane hardening changes the fluid adaptability of individual erythrocytes. This hypothesis was verified using an in vitro microfluidic technique based on an analysis of the flow morphology and cell trajectory of individual cells. A symmetrical microchannel was fabricated with a central stenosis to simulate a blood vessel containing plaque. During flowing through this microchannel, normal erythrocyte predominantly exhibited deforming, rotating, and lifting morphologies, resulting in discontinuous contact with the channel wall and a narrower distribution. Conversely, hardened erythrocytes exhibited rolling, swinging, and tumbling morphologies, resulting in stable and continuous contact with the channel wall and a wider distribution. These results indicate that cell membrane hardening decrease cell fluid adaptability on a microscopic scale. This research can offer some new insights into vascular plaques research from a bio-tribological and mechanical perspectives.