margination of red blood cells infected by plasmodium falciparum in a microvessel

we investigated numerically the mechanism of margination of plasmodium falciparum malaria-infected red blood cells (pf-irbcs) in micro-scale blood flow. our model illustrates that continuous hydrodynamic interaction between a pf-irbc in the trophozoite stage (pf-t-irbc) and healthy red blood cells (hrbcs) results in the margination of the pf-t-irbc and, thus, a longer duration of contact with endothelial cells. the pf-t-irbc and hrbcs first form a “train”. the volume fraction of rbcs is then locally increased, to approximately 40%, and this value is maintained for a long period of time due to the formation of a long train in high-hematocrit conditions. even in low-hematocrit conditions, the local volume fraction is instantaneously elevated to 40% and the pf-t-irbc can migrate to the wall. however, the short train formed in low-hematocrit conditions does not provide continuous interaction, and the pf-t-irbc moves back to the center of the channel.