Abstract

Method for calculation of intercellular pressure in erythrocyte according to atomic force microscopy

Author(s): Yu.S.Nagornov, B.F.Melnikov, V.Zhilyaev

The article aim is, within a simple mechanical model of the erythrocyte morphology, to carry out the calculation and comparison of the calculated data to the experimental data obtained using atomic force microscopy of blood cells after femtosecond laser irradiation. The paper proposes a model of the erythrocyte representing the erythrocyte as a homogeneous elastic body with the elasticity depending on the distance to the center of the erythrocyte. The model is based on data from atomic force microscopy obtained by various authors, in particular the data on rigidity of the membrane, which depends on the position of the measuring point on the surface. In the developed model the elasticity of the membrane changes depending on the distance to the center within 1-1.6 kPa. The calculation of the elastic properties is made by the finite element method, which allowed us to determine the dependence of the erythrocyte morphology on pressure on the membrane, which varied within the range of 0.5-2 kPa. The good agreement between calculated and experimental data confirms the consistency of the model and allows us to conclude that the morphology of the erythrocyte is largely determined by the elastic properties of the membrane and intercellular pressure.