The red blood cell in vascular occlusion.

Red blood cells (RBC) have unique flow-affecting properties--namely, aggregability, deformability and adherence to endothelial cells (EC)--which play major roles in blood flow. Under normal flow-induced shear stress RBC are dispersed, their adherence to EC is insignificant, and they are sufficiently deformable to enable tissue perfusion. However, in pathological conditions that are associated with low-flow states (e.g., trauma, ischemia), elevated plasma components (mainly fibrinogen), or altered RBC properties (e.g., hemoglobinopathies, oxidative stress, inflammation, diabetes), RBC flow properties are altered and present a circulatory risk.