Influence of leukocyte adhesion on partitioning of healthy and diabetic red blood cells at vascular bifurcations.

ABSTRACT: Hemorheological changes associated with diabetes include alteration in red blood cell (RBC) deformability, shape, and volume, and an increased number of adhered leukocytes (white blood cells [WBCs]). How such changes affect RBC distribution in capillary vessel networks is not fully known. Here, we undertake a 3D high-fidelity computational study of diabetic and healthy RBC partitioning in vascular bifurcations without and with an adherent WBC. We predict that without a WBC, the difference between healthy and diabetic RBC partitioning is small but subtle. While both exhibit disproportionate but regular partitioning, the sigmoid curves depicting diabetic RBCs could become concave-up. An adherent WBC is shown to cause significant asymmetry with RBCs, exhibiting reverse partitioning when it is

SUBMITTER: LeCompte S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12927463 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature