Ektacytometry: Instrumentation and Applications in Red Blood Cell Preservation Studies.
Abstract
An ektacytometric instrumentation system was set-up in the laboratory and its usefulness in red blood cell (RBC) preservation studies was evaluated. Ektacytometry provides a measure of cell deformability by determining the elongation of the cells under fluid shear stress using laser diffractometry and image analysis. In order to objectively assess the data obtained with red blood cell samples, it was necessary to establish that neither white blood cell concentration nor freezing in 40% W/V glycerol had any effect on the ektacytometry measurements. We determined that it was necessary to maintain an isotonic environment, since the red blood cells respond differently to shear stress under hypertonic or hypotonic conditions. The most unexpected observation was an absence of correlation could be established between deformability as determined by ektacytometry and 24-hour posttransfusion survival of 51Cr-labeled red blood cells previously frozen and washed. This can be partly attributed to the large variations in data among individual red blood cell samples and to the day-to-day imprecision of the method itself. Ektacytometric analysis showed a higher shear-induced elongation of young red cells (neocyte-enriched populations) in comparison to old cells. The two populations were fractionated by density centrifugation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 10, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA140433
Entities
People
- C. R. Valeri
- E. Serrallach
- J. Mostacci
- K. Colmer
- N. Catsimpoolas
Organizations
- Boston University