Experimental and FEM Study of Effect of Smoking on Red Blood Cells

摘要

Blood cells are composed of 99.9% erythrocytes, red blood cells. Erythrocytes transport oxygen to all cells of the body through narrow blood capillaries. The mechanical properties and deformability of erythrocytes are therefore vital in maintaining their ability to perform their functions. Many diseases or substances are known to affect erythrocytes in both shape and mechanical properties, such as: sickle cell anemia, or carbon monoxide, respectively. In this study, an experimental approach was used to study the effect of smoking on the mechanical properties of red blood cells. Experimental measurements were obtained using a nano-indentation tester, and preliminary results are reported. The commercial FEA package ANSYS was used to simulate the experiment and gain extra insight. The results of the study showed that smoking produces no significant changes in the mechanical properties of RBCs. Research involving more subjects with larger range of ages is needed to fully understand the effect of smoking on RBCs.