The Effect Of The Mechanical Properties Of Erythrocyte On The Adhesion Behavior Of Platelet

Adhesion behavior of platelet with the vessel wall is an important partof thrombosis, which relates to some severe cardiovascular diseases. Theeffect of the mechanical properties of erythrocyte on the adhesion behaviorof platelet was studied numerically.The fluid-structure interaction was solved with the immersed boundarymethod (IBM). Cells were modeled as viscous-fluid-filled capsulessurrounded by a hyper-elastic membrane with negligible thickness. Platelettethering to the wounded vessel wall is mediated by the GPIb-von-Willebrand-factor (vWF) bonds and the aggregation of two platelet ismediated by the GPIb-vWF-GPIb bonds. The formation and dissociationof bonds were simulated by stochastic Monte Carlo method. The Navier-Stokes equations were solved with Marker and Cell (MAC) method.The near-wall motion, rolling adhesion and aggregation of plateletswere simulated with different hematocrit and erythrocyte stiffness. Thenumerical results show that with the increase in hematocrit, the near-wallapproaching is enhanced, the platelet exhibits stronger adhesion with thevessel wall and larger aggregation size is observed in the stenosed vessels.Although the near-wall approaching and adhesion behavior of platelet seemsirrelative with erythrocyte stiffness, aggregation among platelets isenhanced with stiffer erythrocytes. It indicates that both hematocrit anderythrocyte stiffness have positive effect on thrombosis.