A University of Wisconsin study regarding the interaction between red and white blood cells and platelets within blood vessels recently revealed a new understanding through the use of computer simulation.

Amit Kumar, postdoctoral research associate in the Flowing Complex Fluids research group, said he worked on the study with his advisor, Professor Michael Graham in the Department of Biological Engineering.

Kumar said they ran a computer simulation for the study because it would do more than what could be accomplished in a normal experiment on blood flow.

Under normal conditions, white blood cells and platelets flow close to the walls of a blood vessel, but people do not understand why this happens, Kumar said.

Kumar said he and Graham were interested to learn why white blood cells and platelets flow close to the vessel wall.

In the computer simulation, Kumar said they found white blood cells and platelets are displaced when they collide with red blood cells and are therefore trapped near blood vessel walls.

“These phenomena have been known for a long time and have been observed for decades, but a clear understanding was lacking,” Kumar said.

Kumar said with the understanding gained in their study, microfluidic devices can be designed to separate excess white blood cells from the body that can then be applied in many treatment methods for different diseases and injuries.

Kumar said they are working on answering additional questions and continuing their studies in this field with a focus on other aspects like the size and shape of cells.

“We have a good understanding in complex fluids and computer simulations [at UW], which really helped in fulfilling this project and the strengths we have in this department helped in bringing this to fruition,” Kumar said.

A UW statement said these findings were published in the journal Physical Review Letters on Sept. 7.

According to the statement, Graham and his research group are continuing to study interactions of cells and platelets within the blood vessel and are now working with clinicians in order to investigate the possibility of their study having medical implications.