New red blood cell simulator is developed

Jun 30, 2013 |

Scientists have developed the world’s most precise computer simulation of how red blood cells might travel around the body to help doctors treat patients with serious circulatory problems.

Red blood cells have the important task of carrying oxygen around the body but make up less than half of the total blood volume — 45 per cent in men and 40 per cent in women.
Understanding how damaged red blood cells might interact with each other or their neighbouring cells could be useful in realising blood flow in patients who are diabetic or have had surgery to address circulation complications, such as stents or artificial hearts.
The simulations, the largest of their kind, developed by engineers from Queen Mary, University of London, take into account the many forces acting on red blood cells as they travel through the blood vessels, which affect how the cells interact and stick to each other.

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