Clarification of the mechanism of Cell Pinball

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18854
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Mechanical dynamics, Robotics, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: KANEKO MAKOTO 大阪大学, 工学研究科, 教授 (70224607)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 赤血球 / 回転運動 / 並進運動 / マイクロ・ナノデバイス / モデル化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cell Pinball can be observed when red blood cells diluted by saline are flowed in the channel where the width and the height are 50 μm and 5 μm, respectively. Cell Pinball has never been reported for other cells except red blood cells. By considering this fact, we believe that a hint to make clear this phenomenon should be the shape of red blood cell where the central part is concave. Though we tried to find the contact point between the channel and the red blood cell being in Cell Pinball, no clear results obtained through visualization. After all, our considerations are as follows: Red blood cell becomes sphere under low salinity. Those cells make contact with both top and bottom plates in the channel. The contact should be area but not pinpoint. As a result, cells receive rotational moment in coupling with fluid force, by which a rotational motion is induced.

Free Research Field

メカトロニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

体内の細胞の３分の１は赤血球である。心臓から出た赤血球は動脈を通じて毛細血管に到達し、付近の細胞に酸素を与え、それと引き換えに二酸化炭素を取り込み、肺で酸素と交換して再び心臓に戻ってくる。この赤血球に異常が起こると生命は維持できなくなってしまう。Cell Pinballは赤血球でしか起こらない現象で、低塩分濃度になったときに発生する。Cell Pinballが生体内で起こったという報告は未だないが、赤血球は生命維持に最も重要な細胞であるため、Cell Pinballがどのようなメカニズムの下で起こっているのかを明らかにすることは学術的にも社会的にも意義深いと考えている。