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Science 18 August 1967:
Vol. 157. no. 3790, pp. 829 - 831
DOI: 10.1126/science.157.3790.829
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Articles

Blood Viscosity: Influence of Erythrocyte Aggregation

Shu Chien 1, Shunichi Usami 1, Robert J. Dellenback 1, Magnus I. Gregersen 1, Luddo B. Nanninga 2, and M. Mason Guest 2

1 Laboratory of Hemorheology and Department of Physiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York
2 Department of Physiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas

The addition of purified canine or bovine fibrinogen to suspensions of canine erythocytes in Ringer solution caused an increase in viscosity and the formation of aggregates of erythocytes. Both of these effects became increasingly pronounced as the fibrinogen concentration was raised, and they approached plateaus with 1 gram of fibrinogen per 100 milliliters. An increase in shear rate (or shear stress) reduced both the effect on viscosity and the aggregate size. The data suggest that fibrinogen causes an increase in blood viscosity and a departure from Newtonian behavior by interacting with erythrocytes to form cell aggregates which can be dispersed by shear stress.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Rheological Aspects of Sickle Cell Disease.
P. P. Klug, L. S. Lessin, and P. Radice (1974)
Arch Intern Med 133, 577-590
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Shear Dependence of Effective Cell Volume as a Determinant of Blood Viscosity.
S. Chien (1970)
Science 168, 977-979
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Flow Characteristics of Human Erythrocytes through Polycarbonate Sieves.
M. I. Gregersen, C. A. Bryant, W. E. Hammerle, S. Usami, and S. Chien (1967)
Science 157, 825-827
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Blood Viscosity: Influence of Erythrocyte Deformation.
S. Chien, S. Usami, R. J. Dellenback, and M. I. Gregersen (1967)
Science 157, 827-829
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