Abstract

Blood is a concentrated suspension of red blood cells (RBCs), whose motion and deformation can be analyzed based on knowledge of their mechanical characteristics. Models for single-file motion of RBCs yield predictions of apparent viscosity in good agreement with experimental results for diameters up to about 8 μm. Two-dimensional simulations, in which each RBC is represented as a set of interconnected viscoelastic elements, predict that off-center RBCs take asymmetric shapes and drift toward the center-line. The model predicts unequal partition of RBCs and plasma in diverging bifurcations. Simulations of multiple interacting RBCs predict formation of a cell-free layer, which reduces resistance to blood flow.