Novel Method for Measuring the Erythrocyte Deformability, under Oscillatory Shear Stress

Abstract

A novel apparatus for detecting a subtle decrease in erythrocyte deformability was developed. The oscillatory shape change of erythrocytes was monitored under an oscillatory shear stress (modulating the oscillation frequency in the range of 9-90dyn/cm²). The ellipsoidal deformation of intact erythrocytes perfectly followed the oscillatory force of up to about 2Hz, but the diamide-treated cells showed a phase difference of the oscillatory deformation at 1.7Hz.