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Particle electrophoresis as a tool to understand the aggregation behavior of red blood cells

Red blood cell (RBC) electrophoresis measurements in polymer solutions have recently been introduced as a promising approach for investigating polymer‐cell interactions near the RBC surface. A polymer‐poor depletion layer near the RBC has been demonstrated: for depletion layers thicker than the double layer, viscosity within the depletion layer, rather than suspending medium viscosity, affects cell mobility. Using a well‐documented model of sepsis in rats, we have induced RBC membrane damage, and then measured the electrophoretic mobility of rat RBC from control and septic animals. Mobility measurements were carried out for cells suspended in polymer‐free buffer and in 0.5–2% solutions of dextran 500 (500 kDa molecular mass); RBC aggregation in autologous plasma and in dextran 500 was also studied. Our results indicate: (i) as anticipated from prior studies, the aggregation of RBC from septic animals is markedly enhanced (p<0.001) in plasma and in 0.5–1% dextran; (ii) the mobility of septic RBC in polymer‐free buffer was identical to control, whereas cells from septic animals had lower mobilities in 0.5% dextran; (iii) Over the range studied (0.5–2%), the mobility of RBC from septic animals was less sensitive to increases of dextran concentration and hence medium viscosity. These mobility‐aggregation findings can be partially interpreted in terms of a depletion model for RBC aggregation; alterations of RBC surface charge and the hydrodynamic friction within the cell's glycocalyx may also be involved. In overview, we believe that these results suggest the merits of microelectrophoresis for exploring protein or polymer behavior near biological particles and the potential value of future studies for understanding cell‐cell interactions.