A fractal approach to the rheology of concentrated cell suspensions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the rheological properties of concentrated CHO cell suspensions using a fractal model, revealing how microscopic cell parameters influence macroscopic flow behavior across various concentrations.

Contribution

It introduces a fractal-based framework to describe the rheology of cell suspensions, highlighting differences from red blood cell suspensions and linking microscopic properties to macroscopic rheological behavior.

Findings

Yield stress and elastic modulus depend on concentration and fractal structure.

Distinct exponents observed compared to red blood cell suspensions.

Cell adhesion energy and elasticity correlate with viscoelastic properties at high concentrations.

Abstract

Results on the rheological behavior of novel CHO cell suspensions in a large range of concentrations are reported. The concentration dependent yield stress and elastic plateau modulus are formalized in the context of fractal aggregates under shear, and quite different exponents are found as compared to the case of red blood cell suspensions. This is explained in terms of intrinsic microscopic parameters such as the cell-cell adhesion energy and cell elasticity but also the cell individual dynamic properties, found to correlate well with viscoelastic data at large concentrations (phi>0.5).