The flow of blood cell suspensions through 3 μm and 5μm Nuclepore membranes: a comparison of kinetic analysis with scanning electron microscopic examinations

This study was designed to investigate the effect of red and white cells on the flow of dilute suspensions of blood cells through 3 microns and 5 microns Nuclepore membrane filters. The rate of flow of blood cell suspensions through 3 microns or 5 microns membranes declines continually due to occlusion of pores by slow cells. The cells which occlude 3 microns pores exceed the number of white cells about seven-fold. Electron microscopic examination of a used membrane confirms that these slow cells are not white cells but are red cells which are visibly damaged. With 5 microns membranes, the number of slow cells is entirely consistent with them being white cells. Again, electron microscopic examination confirms that 5 microns pores are occluded by white cells. With both types of membrane, the same kinetic analysis is valid and yields information about the behaviour of red cells during the filtration procedure.