TITLE:
Assessment of the Elasticity of Erythrocytes in Different Physiological Fluids by Laser Traps
AUTHORS:
Taylor Barnes, Adam Shulman, Anthony Farone, Mary Farone, Daniel Erenso
KEYWORDS:
Laser Trapping; Optical Tweezers; Human Erythrocytes; Mechanical Deformation
JOURNAL NAME:
Optics and Photonics Journal,
Vol.3 No.2,
June
11,
2013
ABSTRACT: In the study of the mechanical properties of the
erythrocytes (red blood cells-RBCs) the blood sample is commonly diluted
in fluids that do not compromise the integrity of the cells. Fetal bovine serum
(FBS), newborn bovine serum (NBBS), and phosphate buffer (PBS) solution with a
concentration that can provide the right osmotic pressure are fluids commonly
used to dilute the blood samples in such studies. Here we have presented the
effect of these fluids on the elastic properties of the RBCs that we studied
using laser traps. Two laser traps are directly used to trap and deform the
cell by exerting a force distributed on the entire cell. The relative changes
in size of the cell are studied as a function of the applied force to
investigate any effects on the mechanical deformability of RBCs when the cells
are suspended in these fluids. The results have shown that the elasticity of
the RBCs in the NBBS is not statistically different from the elasticity of the
cells in the PBS solution; however the results for the elasticity of the cells
in FBS are found to be significantly higher.