Dielectric approach to investigation of erythrocyte aggregation. II. Kinetics of erythrocyte aggregation-disaggregation in quiescent and flowing blood

A method based on dielectric properties of dispersed systems was applied to investigate the kinetics of RBC aggregation and the break-up of the aggregates. Experimentally, this method consists of measuring the capacitance at a frequency in the beginning of the β-dispersion. Two experimental protocols were used to investigate the aggregation process. In the first case, blood samples were fully dispersed and then the flow was decreased or stopped to promote RBC aggregation. It was found that the initial phases of RBC aggregation are not affected by the shear rate. This finding indicates that RBC aggregation is a slow coagulation process. In the second case, RBCs aggregated under flow conditions at different shear rates and after the capacitance reached plateau levels, the flow was ceased. The steady-state capacitance of the quiescent blood and the kinetics of RBC aggregation after stoppage of sheafing depend on the prior shear rate. To clarify the reasons for this effect, the kinetics of the disaggregation process was studied. In these experiments, time courses of the capacitance were recorded under different flow conditions and then a higher shear stress was applied to break up RBC aggregates. It was found that the kinetics of the disaggregation process depend on both the prior and current shear stresses. Results obtained in this study and their analysis show that the kinetics of RBC aggregation in stasis consists of two consecutive phases: At the onset, red blood cells interact face-to-face to form linear aggregates and then, after an accumulation of an appropriate concentration of these aggregates, branched rouleaux are formed via reactions of ends of the linear rouleaux with sides of other rouleaux (face-to-side interactions). Branching points are broken by low shear stresses whereas dispersion of the linear rouleaux requires significantly higher energy.