Publication Date:
2014-10-24
Description:
We present the first full-scale computational evidence of intermittent and synchronized dynamics of red blood cells in shear flow. These dynamics are characterized by the coexistence of a tumbling motion in which the cell behaves like a rigid body and a tank-treading motion in which the cell behaves like a liquid drop. In the intermittent dynamics, we observe sequences of tumbling interrupted by swinging, as well as sequences of swinging interrupted by tumbling. In the synchronized dynamics, the tumbling and membrane rotation are observed to occur simultaneously with integer ratios of the rotational frequencies. These dynamics are shown to be dependent on the stress-free state of the cytoskeleton, and are explained based on the cell membrane energy landscape. © Cambridge University Press 2014.
Print ISSN:
0022-1120
Electronic ISSN:
1469-7645
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
