The Diffusion of Ions in Agar Gel Suspensions of Red Blood Cells

Citation

Chilcote, Dennis Don (1971) The Diffusion of Ions in Agar Gel Suspensions of Red Blood Cells. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/RT04-RZ27. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:02142018-090205487

Abstract

A method was developed for measuring the self-diffusion coefficient of solutes in agar gel suspensions of red cells. The purpose was to investigate the influence of the red cell on the diffusion of ions which are important in blood solute transport.

The capillary diffusion method was employed. The diffusion coefficient was calculated from the initial and final concentration of tracer in the capillary. The results are discussed in terms of a modified Maxwell equation for the average conductivity in a granular medium in which a discontinuous boundary condition is employed to account for the observed partition coefficients.

The results indicate the ration of the diffusivity of solute in the red cell suspension to that in the suspending medium varies considerably with the ion. This ratio is greater for sodium than for chloride over the range of red cell volume fractions investigated. An augmented diffusional mechanism for bicarbonate appears to exist in the red cell suspension. Depleting the intracellular ATP has little effect on the diffusion of sodium in the red cell suspension.

Thesis Files