Compressed vessels bias red blood cell partitioning at bifurcations in a hematocrit-dependent manner: Implications in tumor blood flow.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 118(25)2021 06 22.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34140409
ABSTRACT
The tumor microenvironment is abnormal and associated with tumor tissue hypoxia, immunosuppression, and poor response to treatment. One important abnormality present in tumors is vessel compression. Vessel decompression has been shown to increase survival rates in animal models via enhanced and more homogeneous oxygenation. However, our knowledge of the biophysical mechanisms linking tumor decompression to improved tumor oxygenation is limited. In this study, we propose a computational model to investigate the impact of vessel compression on red blood cell (RBC) dynamics in tumor vascular networks. Our results demonstrate that vessel compression can alter RBC partitioning at bifurcations in a hematocrit-dependent and flow rate-independent manner. We identify RBC focusing due to cross-streamline migration as the mechanism responsible and characterize the spatiotemporal recovery dynamics controlling downstream partitioning. Based on this knowledge, we formulate a reduced-order model that will help future research to elucidate how these effects propagate at a whole vascular network level. These findings contribute to the mechanistic understanding of hemodilution in tumor vascular networks and oxygen homogenization following pharmacological solid tumor decompression.
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Texto completo:
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Vasos Sanguíneos
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Eritrócitos
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Hematócrito
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Neoplasias
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article