Calculation of intracellular pressure of erythrocyte according to atomic force microscopy data

Abstract

Using numerical simulation, we have obtained the dependence of the morphology and volume of red blood cells on the intracellular pressure. The simulation results have been applied to the experimental data from the atomic force microscopy of red blood cells of experimental animals with different degrees of obstructive jaundice. It has been found in a sample of more than 200 erythrocytes that, with an increase in the concentration of bilirubin and disruption of an erythrocyte membrane, the intracellular pressure increases from 0 to 2.2 kPa. The proposed method of measuring intracellular pressure could be used to diagnose the state of red blood cell membranes.