Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio, not Cellular Viscoelasticity is the Major Determinant of Red Blood Cell Traversal through Small Channels

The remarkable deformability of red blood cells (RBCs) depends on the viscoelasticity plasma membrane and cell contents surface area to volume (SA:V) ratio; however, it remains unclear which these factors is key determinant for passage through small capillaries. We used a microfluidic device examine traversal normal, stiffened, swollen, parasitised immature RBCs1. show that dramatic stiffening RBCs had no measurable effect their ability traverse channels.