Objective: To investigate how red blood cell aggregation could modulate the spatial variations in cell-free layer formation in the vicinity of an arteriolar bifurcation.
Methods: Visualization of blood flow was performed in upstream and downstream vessels of arteriolar bifurcations in the rat cremaster muscles under reduced flow conditions before and after induction of red blood cell aggregation to both physiological normal- and pathological hyperlevels seen in humans.
Results: Large asymmetries of layer widths on opposite sides of the downstream vessel were attenuated along the vessel and this effect could be prominently enhanced by the hyperaggregation due to a higher formation rate of the layer which was greater on one side than the other of the vessel. The proportion of downstream layer formation constituted by the smaller downstream vessel generally increased with a thicker layer width at the wall of the upstream vessel adjacent it. A greater tendency of the layer formation in the smaller downstream vessel was found under the hyperaggregating condition than normal-aggregating and nonaggregating conditions.
Conclusion: Red blood cell aggregation could attenuate the asymmetry in cell-free layer formation on opposite sides of the downstream vessel, but enhances the heterogeneity of the layer formation between downstream vessels.
Keywords: hemodynamics; microcirculation; phase separation of blood; plasma skimming.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.