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Characterization of Erythrocytes in the Sickle CellTrait

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Jamie L. Maciaszek  and
George Lykotrafitis
Jamie L. Maciaszek
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, U.S.A.
George Lykotrafitis
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows for high-resolution topography studiesof biological cells, measurement of their mechanical properties, andquantification of protein-protein interactions in physiological conditions.In this work, AFM was employed to investigate morphological, material, andchemomechanical properties of red blood cells from human subjects withsickle cell trait. We measured the stiffness of the cells and demonstratedthat the Young’s modulus of pathological erythrocytes was three timesgreater than in normal cells. A single molecule AFM method was employed toreport that erythrocytes from human subjects with the sickle cell traitexpress a greater number of the laminin receptors BCAM/Lu (p < 0.05) thanerythrocytes from normal human subjects. Observed differences indicate theeffect of sickle hemoglobin in the erythrocyte and possible changes in theorganization of the cell cytoskeleton and membrane proteins associated withthe sickle cell trait.

Keywords

adhesionelastic propertiesnano-indentation

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References

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