Simultaneous observation of shape, volume, and hemoglobin content of a single red blood cell under the osmotic pressure difference

• Published in: Journal of Biorheology Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 155 - 161
• Main Authors: Otomo, Ryoko, Morita, Akihito, Yoneda, Yuki, Tajikawa, Tsutomu, Yamamoto, Yasufumi, Bando, Kiyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: JAPANESE SOCIETY OF BIORHEOLOGY 2023
• Subjects: hemoglobin leakage; hemolysis; light absorption; osmotic pressure; red blood cell
• ISSN: 1867-0466; 1867-0474
• DOI: 10.17106/jbr.37.155

To understand the swelling and hemolysis behavior of human red blood cells (RBCs) due to the osmotic pressure difference, we have observed the temporal changes in shape, volume and hemoglobin (Hb) content of the RBC. In particular, the present study focused on a single RBC and aimed to construct an experimental method to simultaneously measure the above-mentioned changes. Adding a hypotonic solution of 0.1 wt% NaCl aq. into the isotonic RBC suspension, we experimentally observed an RBC swelling from the biconcave disk to the spheroidal and spherical shape. From the two-dimensional images obtained in the experiments, the time evolution of the surface area and the volume of the RBC was estimated on the assumption of the axisymmetric geometry. In addition, by using a light source with the Hb absorbance wavelength during the experiments, we succeeded in measuring the time variation of Hb content in the RBC simultaneously with the shape and volume changes. From a series of the results, it was found that the volume of RBCs reached a maximum when their shape became almost spherical, and the leaching of Hb began after that.