Angiogenic Microvascular Wall Shear Stress Patterns Revealed Through Three-dimensional Red Blood Cell Resolved Modeling

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Abstract

The wall shear stress (WSS) exerted by blood flowing through microvascular capillaries is an established driver of new blood vessel growth, or angiogenesis. Such adaptations are central to many physiological processes in both health and disease, yet three-dimensional (3D) WSS characteristics in real angiogenic microvascular networks are largely unknown. This marks a major knowledge gap because angiogenesis, naturally, is a 3D process. To advance current understanding, we model 3D red blood cells (RBCs) flowing through rat angiogenic microvascular networks using state-of-the-art simulation. The high-resolution fluid dynamics reveal 3D WSS patterns occurring at sub-endothelial cell (EC) scales that derive from distinct angiogenic morphologies, including microvascular loops and vessel tortuosity. We identify the existence of WSS hot and cold spots caused by angiogenic surface shapes and RBCs, and notably enhancement of low WSS regions by RBCs. Spatiotemporal characteristics further reveal how fluctuations follow timescales of RBC “footprints.” Altogether, this work provides a new conceptual framework for understanding how shear stress might regulate EC dynamics in vivo.

Identifier

85174384639 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Function

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1093/function/zqad046

e-ISSN

26338823

PubMed ID

37753184

Issue

6

Volume

4

Grant

CBET 2309559

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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