A mechanobiological investigation of platelets

Abstract

To investigate the mechanical behavior of platelets in response to an applied force, the deformation capacity of the membrane, as quantified by membrane progression into a borosilicate glass micropipette of defined internal diameter, is probed using a controlled range of negative pressure (0--7 cm H2O). In real-time, murine platelet membranes fail to demonstrate viscoelastic effects, but maintain an average linear deformation behavior (n = 11 platelets). Along with published deformation data using human platelets, a novel constitutive model generates a set of optimized material constants that accurately predict platelet membrane behavior. Using MATLAB (Version 7.4), the model is able to preserve platelet deformation at constant volume by implementing the Levenberg-Marquardt method, and ultimately generates an experimentally validated simulation program of micropipette aspiration. Finally, as a complement to these products, the tension and stretch responses to a specific magnitude of negative pressure are resolved.