Deformation of red blood cells using acoustic radiation forces |
| |
| Authors: | Puja Mishra Martyn Hill Peter Glynne-Jones |
| |
| Institution: | Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom |
| |
| Abstract: | Acoustic radiation forces have been used to manipulate cells and bacteria in a number of recent microfluidic
applications. The net force on a cell has been subject to careful investigation over a number of decades. We
demonstrate that the radiation forces also act to deform
cells. An
ultrasonic standing
wave field is created in a
0.1 mm glass capillary at a frequency of 7.9 MHz. Using osmotically swollen red-blood cells, we show observable
deformations up to an aspect
ratio of 1.35, comparable to deformations created by optical tweezing. In contrast to optical technologies,
ultrasonic devices are
potentially capable of deforming thousands of cells simultaneously. We create a finite element model that includes both the acoustic
environment of the cell, and a model of the cell
membrane subject to forces resulting from the non-linear aspects of the acoustic
field. The model is found to
give reasonable agreement with the experimental results, and shows that the deformation is the result of variation in
an acoustic force that is directed outwards at all points on the cell membrane. We foresee applications in
diagnostic devices, and in the possibility of mechanically stimulating cells to promote differentiation and
physiological effects. |
| |
| Keywords: | acoustic field biomechanics biomedical ultrasonics biomembranes blood cellular biophysics deformation finite element analysis microorganisms tissue engineering |
|
|
