Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Model experiments on the effect of bifurcations on capillary blood flow and oxygen transport

  • Heart, Circulation, Respiration and Blood; Environmental and Exercise Physiology
  • Published:
Pflügers Archiv Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

O2-delivery by a single capillary is a function of the flow rate and thefraction of flow made up of red blood cells. Capillary flow rate in turn depends upon flow resistance which is determined by thefraction of capillary volume occupied by red blood cells. Experiments were carried out to study the relationship between these parameters in an in vitro model consisting of glass capillaries (I.D. 3.3–11.0 μm) branching from a large bore feeding channel which was perfused at variable flow rates with suspensions of human red cells with different hematocrits. Capillary flow rates ranged from 0–10−4 mm3 s−1. The results indicate that the red cell flow fraction increases with increasing capillary flow rate and with decreasing feeding vessel flow rate. Capillary volume fraction occupied by red cells similarly depends on these two parameters, but is consistently lower than the red cell flow fraction. Capillary flow resistance increases with flow rate due to increasing volume fraction of cells. If the results obtained with the model system are applicable to in vivo capillaries it must be concluded that O2-delivery by a single capillary is not linearly related to flow rate but increases more than proportionately with flow rate. Due to alteration of resistance with flow rate another type of “autoregulation” of capillary flow is proposed which tends to keep flow rate constant despite changes of driving pressure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Albrecht, K. H., Gaehtgens, P., Pries, A., Heuser, M.: The Fahraeus effect in narrow capillaries (I.D. 3.3–11.0 μm). Microvasc. Res. (in press)

  2. Bugliarello, G., Hsiao, G. C. C.: Phase separation in suspensions flowing through bifurcations: a simplified hemodynamic model. Science143, 469–471 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bloch, E. H.: A quantitative study of the hemodynamics in the living microvascular system. Amer. J. Anat.110, 125–145 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cokelet, G. R.: Macroscopic rheology and tube flow of human blood. In: Microcirculation. Vol. 1, (J. Grayson and W. Zingg, eds.), pp. 9–31. New York: Plenum Publ. Comp. 1976

    Google Scholar 

  5. Copley, A. L., Staple, P. H.: Haemorheological studies on the plasmatic zone in the microcirculation of the cheek pouch of chinese and syrian hamsters. Biorheology1, 3–14 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dow, P., Hahn, R. F., Hamilton, W. F.: The simultaneous transport of T-1824 and radioactive red cells through the heart and lungs. Amer. J. Physiol.147, 493–499 (1946)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fahraeus, R.: Die Strömungsverhältnisse und die Verteilung der Blutzellen im Gefäßsystem. Klin. Wschr.7, 100–106 (1928)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Gaehtgens, P., Benner, K. U., Schickendantz, S., Albrecht, K. H.: Method for simultaneous determination of red cell and plasma flow velocity in vitro and in vivo. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol.361, 191–195 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gaehtgens, P., Albrecht, K. H., Kreutz, F.: Capillary hematocrit as a function of screening and Fahraeus effect. Amer. Inst. of Chem. Engineers, Symposium Series, New York no. 182, vol. 74, pp. 61–64 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gelin, L. E.: A method for studies of aggregation of blood cells, erythrostasis and plasma skimming in branching capillary tubes. Biorheology1, 119–127 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gelin, L. E.: A method for studying the aggregation of blood cells, erythrostasis and plasma skimming in branching capillary tubes. Bibl. anat. (Karger)4, 362–375 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gibson, J. G., Seligman, A. M., Peacock, W. C., Aub, J. C., Fine, E., Evans, R. D.: The distribution of red cells and plasma in large and minute vessels of the normal dog, determined by radioactive isotopes of iron and iodine. J. clin. Invest.25, 849–857 (1946)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Goldsmith, H. L.: Microscopic flow properties of red cells. Fed. Proc.26, 1813–1820 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hellberg, K., Rickart, A., Wayland, H., Bing, R. J.: The coronary microcirculation in the potassium chloride arrested heart. J. molec. cell. Cardiol.2, 221–230 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jodal, M., Lundgren, O.: Plasma skimming in the intestinal tract. Acta physiol. scand.80, 50–60 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Johnson, P. C.: Red cell separation in the mesenteric capillary network. Amer. J. Physiol.221, 99–104 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Johnson, P. C., Blaschke, J., Burton, K. S., Dial, J. H.: Influence of flow variations on capillary hematocrit in mesentery. Amer. J. Physiol.221, 105–112 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  18. King, T. K. C., Mazal, D.: Alveolar-capillary CO2- and O2-gradients due to uneven hematocrits. J. appl. Physiol.40, 673–678 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Klitzman, B., Duling, B. R.: Acute hematocirt changes in capillaries of striated muscle during functional hyperemia (Abstract) Microvasc. Res.15, 267 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Krogh, A.: The anatomy and physiology of capillaries. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1929

    Google Scholar 

  21. Lawson, H. C.: The volume of blood — a critical examination of methods for its measurement. In: Handbook of Physiology, Section 2: Circulation, Vol. 1, American Physiological Society, Washington, D. G., pp. 23–62 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lipowsky, H. H.: In vivo studies of the rheology of blood in the microcirculation. Ph.D. Thesis, University of California, San Diego, 1975

    Google Scholar 

  23. Palmer, A. A.: Influence of absolute flow rate and rouleaux formation on plasma skimming in vitro. Amer. J. Physiol.217, 1339–1345 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Rapaport, E., Kuida, H., Haynes, F. W., Dexter, L.: Pulmonary red cell and plasma volumes and pulmonary hematocrit in the normal dog. Amer. J. Physiol.185, 127–132 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Schmid-Schönbein, G. W., Zweifach, B. W.: RBC-velocity profiles in arterioles and venules of the rabbit omentum. Microvasc. Res.10, 153–164 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Staub, N. C.: Microcirculation of the lung utilizing very rapid freezing. Angiology12, 469–472 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Svanes, K., Zweifach, B. W.: Variations in small blood vessel hematocrit produced in hypothermic rats by micro-occlusion. Microvasc. Res.1, 210–220 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Wayland, H.: Rheology and the microcirculation. Gastroenterology52, 342–355 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wayland, H., Johnson, P. C.: Erythrocyte velocity measurement in microvessels by a two-slit photometric method. J. appl. Physiol.22, 333–337 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Yen, R. T., Fung, Y. C.: Inversion of Fahraeus effect and the effect of mainstream flow on capillary hematocrit. J. appl. Physiol.42, 578–586 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Yen, R. T., Fung, Y. C.: Effect of velocity distribution on red cell distribution in capillary blood vessels. Amer. J. Physiol.235, H251-H257 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für normale und pathologische Physiologie, Universität zu Köln, Robert-Koch-Strasse 39, D-5000, Köln 41, Federal Republic of Germany

    P. Gaehtgens, A. Pries & K. H. Albrecht

Authors
  1. P. Gaehtgens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Pries
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. H. Albrecht
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gaehtgens, P., Pries, A. & Albrecht, K.H. Model experiments on the effect of bifurcations on capillary blood flow and oxygen transport. Pflugers Arch. 380, 115–120 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582145

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582145

Key words

Search

Navigation