Flow-mediated cell stress induction in adherent leukocytes is accompanied by modulation of morphology and phagocytic function

Leukocytes adherent to the surfaces of both vascular biomaterials and normal blood vessels experience blood flow induced shear stress. The goal of the reported studies was to investigate the effect of fluid flow on the morphology, phagocytic function and stress response induction in adherent immune cells. Shear approximating arterial, venous and intermediate levels were applied onto glass-adherent IC21 macrophages in a temperature-controlled parallel plate flow system. The results indicate that fluid flow induces a shear-dependent physiological stress response in adherent macrophages and that significant morphological changes accompany macrophage responses to shear stress. In addition, arterial flow conditions induce not only significant cell polarisation, but also enhanced phagocytic ingestion in glass-adherent IC21 macrophages. These findings suggest that blood flow induced shear stress may not only be consequent to adherent leukocyte activation, but may also be integral to the regulation of adherent leukocyte behaviour in vivo.