Sickling of red blood cells through rapid oxygen exchange in microfluidic drops

摘要: We have developed a microfluidic approach to study the sickling of red blood cells associated with sickle cell anemia by rapidly varying oxygen partial pressure within flowing microdroplets. By using perfluorinated carrier oil as sink or source oxygen, level water droplets quickly equilibrates through exchange surrounding oil. This provides control over an aqueous drop ranging from 1 kPa ambient pressure, i.e. 21 kPa. The dynamics is characterized fluorescence lifetime measurements ruthenium compound dissolved in phase. gas shown occur primarily during and directly after droplet formation, 0.1 0.5 s depending on diameter speed. controlled deoxygenation used trigger polymerization hemoglobin cells, encapsulated drops. process observed polarization microscopy, which yields robust criterion detect based transmitted light intensity crossed polarizers.