抄録
Preterm infants are highly susceptible to ischemic damage. This damage is most obvious in the brain, retina and gastrointestinal tract. Studies focusing on the rheological properties of premature red blood cells (pRBC) have consistently shown minimal or no RBC aggregation. Previously, measurements of pRBC aggregation kinetics indicated that specific plasma properties are responsible for the decreased RBC aggregation observed in the neonates while their specific RBC properties do not affect RBC aggregation. However, strength of interaction in the pRBC aggregates, as function of medium composition, has not tested. In our previous research we described clinically-relevance parameters, which described aggregate resistance to disaggregation by flow. With the help of a cell flow property analyzer (CFA), we may monitor RBC aggregation by direct visualization of their dynamics under flow. We used the CFA to examine pRBC (from 9 premature babies) in the natural plasma and in PBS buffer supplemented with dextran (500 kDa) to answer this question. pRBC suspended in the native plasma showed minimal or no aggregation in comparison to normal adult RBC. When pRBC from the same sample were transferred to the dextran solution, they showed enhanced resistance to disaggregation by flow.
