Transient microfluidic approach to the investigation of erythrocyte aggregation: comparison and validation of the method

A method based on transient shear flow dynamics of red cell aggregates was developed to investigate reversible re-aggregation processes with decreasing shear flow. In the microchannel-flow aggregometry, the aggregated red blood cells that are subjected to continuously decreasing shear stress in microchannel flow were measured with the use of a laser-scattering technique. Both the laser-backscattered intensity and pressure were simultaneously measured with respect to time, resulting in shear stress ranging from $0{\sim}35\;Pa$ for a time period of less than 30 seconds. The time dependent recording of the backscattered light intensity (syllectogram) yielded an upward convex curve with a peak point, which reflected the transition threshold of aggregation in the RBC suspensions. Critical-time and critical-shear stress corresponding to the peak point were examined by varying the initial pressure-differential and the micro channel depth, and these results showed good potential for being used as new aggregation indices. In the present study, these newly proposed indices were also validated by differentiating the effect of fibrinogen on RBC aggregation and then these indices were compared to the conventional indices that were measured by a rotational aggregometer.