IMTE · Direct measurement of micro-scale fluid-phase mass transfer of LDL within vicinity of endothelial surface, a disclosure of atherogenesis

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Project objective

Atherosclerosis, a disease of large arteries, can cause many serious consequences including myocardial infarction from obstruction of coronary arteries, or cerebral ischemia from atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid artery forming emboli through internal carotid artery. The pathology of atherosclerotic plaques is an accumulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the endothelial layer of the affected artery. Fluid-phase mass transfer is one of the factors believed to be responsible in localizing atherosclerotic lesions in regions of disturbed flow such, as flow separation at a bifurcation. We propose a use of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and the state of art Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) to measure local sub-cellular scale flow characteristics and mass transfer of LDL, with the aim of advancing our knowledge of atherogenesis.A rectangular channel with endothelial monolayer cultured on the bottom surface will be used for in vitro flow simulation. A backward facing step will be introduced into the channel to produce a flow separation region. PIV and LIF measurements will be performed at global and sub-cellular resolutions within the flow separation region in the rectangular channel in comparison to the typical un-separated channel flow. The goal is to understand the effect of global flow pattern on sub-cellular mass transfer of LDL within the vicinity of endothelial surface, which has not been studied before. The combination of flow field measurements of micro- and macro-scale PIV with LIF measurements of LDL concentration distributions will yield new insight.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAY · GALWAYCoordinatorIreland

Links

• View on CORDIS