Hemodynamic Forces Exerted On Moving and Adherent Leukocytes in Post-Capillary Blood Vessels

In this talk we investigate the hemodynamic forces on a moving leukocyte in the presence of an adherent leukocyte or a protuberance on the blood vessel wall. In addition, we investigate the hemodynamic forces on an adherent leukocyte in the presence of a moving leukocyte. This study extends the previous work of Wang and Dimitrakopoulos on the nature of hemodynamic forces on the vascular endothelium and adherent leukocytes [Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 96, 028106 (2006); Phys. Fluids, vol. 18, 087107 (2006)].

Leukocytes are blood cells which defend the body against infections. These cells move towards the site of infection and thus their margination is governed by hemodynamic forces. The leukocytes then adhere to the vessel wall at the site of infection. Hemodynamic forces exerted on leukocytes adherent to the surface of blood vessels play a pivotal role in the cell adhesion process since they need to be balanced by the receptor-ligand binding forces on the surface of the cells.

In this talk we investigate the effects of flow strength, size of blood vessel, adhesion spreading, and distance between the moving and adherent leukocytes to the hemodynamic forces on both cells.