A Kinetic Measurement of Red Cell Deformability: A Modified Micropipette Aspiration Technique

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Abstract
A kinetic measurement of the red cell deformability is developed, modifying a micropipette aspiration technique. The sedimented human red cells on a slide-glass are individually aspirated into a micropipette by negative pressure (.DELTA.P), and the decreasing velocity (v) of the applied electric current, due to the aspirating cell, is taken as a measure of the easiness of the cell to enter into the small orifice of the micropipette (inner diameter, 2R .simeq. 3 .mu.m). An empirical relation, v .varies. (.pi.R2) .cntdot. (.DELTA.P) .cntdot. (deformability), is obtained. To test the validity of the method, some factors influencing the deformability are studied: i.e., the velocity decreases as lowering temperature; the velocity of the glutaraldehyde-pretreated cells and of both in vivo and in vitro aged cells decreases. The parameter, velocity (v), reflects the deformability well. If a few assumptions could be allowed, v would be related to Young''s modulus of the membrane.