Bereiche | Tage | Auswahl | Suche | Aktualisierungen | Downloads | Hilfe
BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 7: Poster Session I
BP 7.21: Poster
Montag, 9. März 2026, 15:00–17:00, P5
Determination of the Human Red Blood Cell Mass Density Distribution — •Luca Hastenteufel1, Thomas John1, Karin Kretsch1, and Christian Wagner1,2 — 1Dynamics of Fluids, Experimental Physics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany — 2Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, L-1511 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Red blood cells (RBCs) survive in circulation for approximately 120 days, during which their mass density increases, leading to the formation of a density distribution (DD). This distribution is commonly used as a diagnostic marker and as an indicator of individual cell age. However, few studies have examined the detailed form of the DD, with only few datapoints. In this study, the DD of erythrocytes was quantitatively derived using microscopic imaging approaches in controlled linear density gradients. Linear gradients were created using Percoll and Optiprep, common density media used for the density separation of cells or subcellular compounds. A custom microscopic scanning setup was developed to image RBC distributions along the gradient with a micrometre spatial resolution over several cm. Through image analysis, the vertical positions of individual cells were detected and by single cell counting, the DD was constructed in high resolution. The measured DD revealed significant deviations from Gaussian behaviour.
Keywords: red blood cells; density distribution; density gradients; microscopic imaging