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Characterisation of a dedicated mechanical model for red blood cells: numerical simulations of optical tweezers experiment

Red blood cells (RBCs) are biological cells devoid of nucleus. The complexity of these cells resides in their membrane, which exhibits a microstructure consisting of a cytoskeleton resisting shear, and a quasi-incompressible lipid bilayer, which provides a bending stiffness. The characterisation of a mechanical model of the RBCs’ membrane appears to be complicated but is of major interest. Indeed, numerical simulations of fluid– structure interactions of flowing RBCs have to rely on a realistic modelling of the membrane to provide accurate predictions of cell deformation. An effective way to characterise such a model is to compare numerical data from simulations with experimental data. Several experimental methods enable the investigation of the mechanical behaviour of RBCs. Among these methods, the optical tweezers experiment provides a useful means for the analysis of the single cell mechanics under a variety of well-controlled stress states. In this study, we aim at characterising a mechanical model dedicated to RBCs. A number of existing models are investigated through optical tweezers simulations to determine the best suited one.