Complex dynamics of human red blood cell flickering: alterations with in vivo aging

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2008 Aug;78(2 Pt 1):020901. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.78.020901. Epub 2008 Aug 1.

Abstract

Human red blood cells (RBCs) exhibit vibratory motions, referred to as "flickering." Their dynamical properties, classically attributed to thermal mechanisms, have not been fully characterized. Using detrended fluctuation analysis and multiscale entropy methods, we show that the short-term flickering motions of RBCs, observed under phase contrast microscopy, have a fractal scaling exponent close to that of 1f noise and exhibit complex patterns over multiple time scales. Further, these dynamical properties degrade with in vivo aging such that older cells that have been in the circulation longer generate significantly (p<0.003) less complex flickering patterns than newly formed cells. Quantitative assessment of multiscale flickering may provide a way of measuring RBC functionality. Membrane models need to account for the complex properties of these motions and their changes with in vivo senescence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biological Clocks / physiology*
  • Cellular Senescence*
  • Entropy
  • Erythrocyte Deformability / physiology*
  • Erythrocyte Membrane / physiology
  • Erythrocytes / cytology*
  • Erythrocytes / physiology
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques