An investigation on platelet transport during thrombus formation at micro-scale stenosis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 10; p. e74123
• Main Authors: Tovar-Lopez, Francisco Javier, Rosengarten, Gary, Nasabi, Mahyar, Sivan, Vijay, Khoshmanesh, Khashayar, Jackson, Shaun P, Mitchell, Arnan, Nesbitt, Warwick S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 23.10.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Advection; Agglomeration; Biological Transport - physiology; Blood; Blood cells; Blood clots; Blood diseases; Blood flow; Blood platelets; Blood Platelets - physiology; Cardiovascular diseases; Computer engineering; Constriction, Pathologic - physiopathology; Erythrocytes; Geometry; Heart diseases; Humans; Hydrodynamics; Investigations; Ischemia; Mass transport; Medical research; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - instrumentation; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - methods; Microfluidics; Platelet aggregation; Platelet Aggregation - physiology; Platelets; Recruitment; Red blood cells; Shear; Stenosis; Strain rate; Streams; Stroke; Studies; Thrombosis; Thrombosis - physiopathology; Transport phenomena; Australia; Victoria Australia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074123

This paper reports on an investigation of mass transport of blood cells at micro-scale stenosis where local strain-rate micro-gradients trigger platelet aggregation. Using a microfluidic flow focusing platform we investigate the blood flow streams that principally contribute to platelet aggregation under shear micro-gradient conditions. We demonstrate that relatively thin surface streams located at the channel wall are the primary contributor of platelets to the developing aggregate under shear gradient conditions. Furthermore we delineate a role for red blood cell hydrodynamic lift forces in driving enhanced advection of platelets to the stenosis wall and surface of developing aggregates. We show that this novel microfluidic platform can be effectively used to study the role of mass transport phenomena driving platelet recruitment and aggregate formation and believe that this approach will lead to a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying shear-gradient dependent discoid platelet aggregation in the context of cardiovascular diseases such as acute coronary syndromes and ischemic stroke.