Effect of dispersion of vessel diameters and lengths in stochastic networks. II. Modeling of microvascular hematocrit distribution.

A microvascular network model described in the preceding paper (B. Dawant, M. Levin, and A. S. Popel, 1986, Microvasc. Res. 31, 203-222) featuring random distribution of vessel diameters and lengths, is extended to calculate the distributions of red blood cell flux and discharge hematocrit throughout the network. A relationship between red blood cell fluxes and blood flow rates at vascular bifurcations is incorporated into the model, and the effect of the form of this relationship on RBC distribution is investigated. The mean capillary discharge hematocrit is sensitive to the variation of parameters describing this relationship; thus detailed experimental information is required for bifurcations of different sizes and types.