Simulations of rolling white blood cells provide basis for drug carriers in the bloodstream
Simulations of rolling white blood cells provide basis for drug carriers in the bloodstream lead image
The bloodstream consists of blood cells transporting oxygen through the body, delivering energy to muscles, removing metabolic waste, and providing immune responses. Microcarriers, inspired by blood cells in microcirculatory systems, have been developed for controlled release, as well as targeted and localized delivery, of therapeutic agents.
Understanding the fundamental flow and dynamics of circulating blood cells, and therefore how to develop microcarriers, is complex due to difficulties obtaining real-time observations.
Using microrollers, Qi et al. modeled the dynamics and locomotion of white blood cells (WBCs) in blood vessels in response to controlled changes in shear stress and magnetic field. The microroller movement is inspired by the characteristic rolling capability of WBCs that permits migration and undulation through microcirculatory systems.
The research provides real-time insights into the rolling dynamics of microrollers in blood flow, which is beneficial for the design of bio-inspired microrollers in precise and efficient therapeutic delivery.
“The microrollers are modeled based on the rolling capability of WBCs in the microcirculatory system,” said author Xuejin Li. “This offers an ideal route for navigating microrollers through the bloodstream to deliver drugs.”
Through detailed computational simulations, the team found the microroller can roll along with flowing blood or move against the bloodstream depending on the applied magnetic torque. The findings suggest blood vessels and microrollers could provide an efficient and tunable path for drugs reaching diseased organs or tissues.
“Studying the flow and dynamics of blood cells under healthy conditions and in various diseases can provide indispensable information for understanding many biological processes, and for the development of new efficient drugs and treatment,” said author Xin Bian.
Source: “Quantitative prediction of rolling dynamics of leukocyte-inspired microroller in blood flow,” by Xiaojing Qi, Shuo Wang, Shuhao Ma, Keqin Han, Xin Bian, and Xuejin Li. Physics of Fluids (2021). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0072842 .
