Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

The Influence Of Membrane Cholesterol-Related Shear Stress Mechanosensitivity On Neutrophil Flow Behavior, Xiaoyan Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hypercholesterolemia is a dominant risk factor for a variety of cardiovascular diseases and involves a chronic inflammatory component in which neutrophil activity plays a critical role. Recently, fluid shear stress mechanotransduction has been established as a control mechanism that regulates the activity of neutrophils by reducing the formation of pseudopods and the surface expression of CD18 integrins, thereby rendering these cells rounded, deformable, and non-adhesive. This is critical for maintaining a healthy circulation, because chronically activated neutrophils not only release excess cytotoxic and degradative agents but also exhibit a reduced efficiency to pass through the small vessels of the microcirculation …