Abstract
In order to understand quantitatively both the macroscopic and the microscopic behavior of blood, we have attempted to review three main areas of red blood cell (RBC) rheology based on our recent work : 1) the macroscopic flow behavior of RBCs, i. e., viscosity and pressure-flow rate relationships of RBC suspension; 2) the microrheological behavior of RBCs, i. e., RBC deformability; 3) a role of membrane cytoskeleton in microrheological properties of RBCs. Especially, we presented a new quantitative filtration method using a newly developed thin metal film with pores (the nickel mesh), and demonstrated a close link between decreased deformability of RBCs and fragmentation of membrane cytoskeletal proteins including a role of hemoglobin in it. Although the present review is limited in both breadth and depth, it may contribute to provide a new insight into RBC rheology.
