How Ozone Treatment Affects Erythrocytes

Blood, a non-Newtonian fluid, is a suspension of formed elements in an aqueous solution of organic molecules, proteins, and salts. The rheological properties of blood are generally well-understood under steady-flow conditions. However, the in vivo flow is unsteady, because of the heart pumping the blood, and blood has to travel through a complex network of vessels of varying geometric qualities (e.g., lumen shape, diameter, single vessels, bifurcations, valves). What’s more, the apparent viscosity of blood, which depends on the existing shear forces, is determined by hematocrit, plasma viscosity, and the properties of red blood cells (RBCs) (Baskurt & Meiselman, 2003; Cokelet, 1980; Lipowsky, 2005). In addition to the concentration of cellular elements in blood, the disturbance of flow streamlines depends not only on the concentration of blood cells but also on the behavior of these cells under shear forces (i.e. their rheological properties). RBCs comprise about 45% of the volume of normal blood and are responsible for its complex, scale-dependent rheology. Due to their fluid-filled bag-like structure, RBCs undergo large deformation as they traverse the microcirculation (Baskurt & Meiselman, 2003; Lee & Smith, 2008).