MICRO-SCALE NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF ERYTHROCYTE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES ON THE NEAR-WALL MOTION OF PLATELET

The effect of erythrocyte mechanical properties on the near-wall motion of platelet was numerically studied with the immersed boundary method. Cells were modeled as viscous-fluid-filled capsules surrounded by a hyper-elastic membrane with negligible thickness. The numerical results show that with the increase in hematocrit, the near-wall approaching is enhanced; platelet exhibits larger deformation and orientation (angle of its near-wall tank-treading motion); the lateral force pushing platelet to the wall is increased with larger fluctuation amplitude of lateral force, while the near-wall approaching is reduced by increasing the stiffness of erythrocytes.