Abstract
Growing evidence has suggested that the adhesion of red blood cells (RBCs) to blood vessel wall endothelial cells (ECs) is a potent catalyst of microcirculatory disorders, but direct in vivo documentation has been lacking. In a recent study we have demonstrated the elevation of vascular resistance by RBCs with increased adhesion to ECs and normal deformability in the absence of aggregation. Unlike the previous chapter (i.e., the “point”), the findings and considerations discussed in this chapter (the “counterpoint) imply that RBC/EC adhesion is a more potent determinant of circulatory disorders than RBC aggregation.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by grants from the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (No. 200120 to S Yedgar, G Barshtein, & DK Kaul), the US National Blood Foundation, (to S Yedgar & G Barshtein), the Israel Ministry of Health (to S Yedgar), and the Walter and Greta Stiel Chair for Heart Studies (to S Yedgar).