The BioProfiler fulfills the critical demands of hemorheology with:

 

Measurements performed near the pulse rate

Precise vessel-like geometery

Simple sample handling and rapid measurements

Small sample sizes of 0.5 ml to 1.0 ml

Operating temperatures from 10 °C to 40

Automated data analysis

Standardized measurement protocols

Portability

making it the first choice for advanced research.

 

BLOOD VISCOELASTICITY

Because blood flow in the circulation is pulsatile, the heart pumps energy into the blood with each beat. Portions of this energy are either dissipated or stored as the blood cells rearrange, orient and deform in order to pass through the circulation. Viscosity is an assessment of the rate of energy dissipation due to cell deformation and sliding. Elasticity is an assessment of the elastic storage of energy primarily in the kinetic deformability of the red blood cells. Together, the viscosity and elasticity determine the pressure required to produce blood flow.

 

The relative influence of aggregation tendency and kinetic elastic cell deformability on blood viscoelasticity changes with shear rate (see our Tech Note). The viscosity and elasticity of blood are direct indicators of how these parameters affect the ability of the blood to flow under the shear conditions imposed by the pulsatility of the circulation. Therefore, in order to provide a complete picture of hemorheology, the BioProfiler measures the viscoelasticity for oscillatory flow over a range of shear rates.

 

Verticle branch.GIF (9612 bytes)

 

Under tightly controlled conditions, the BioProfiler measures the shear rate dependence of blood viscoelasticity utilizing two measurement protocols:

Shear Rate Sweep Protocol for Comprehensive Characterization

 

Critical Three Point Protocol for Simple and Rapid Characterization

 

These protocols are governed by Vilatic Software, which controls the timing of flow activation and measurement in order to stabilize the effects of thixotopy.   All measured values undergo complete analysis to give values of the viscosity and elasticity as well as the relaxation time of the blood structure.