Erythrocyte aggregation

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In physiology, erythrocyte aggregation is "the formation of clumps of red blood cells under low or non-flow conditions, resulting from the attraction forces between the red blood cells. The cells adhere to each other in rouleaux aggregates. Slight mechanical force, such as occurs in the circulation, is enough to disperse these aggregates. stronger or weaker than normal aggregation may result from a variety of effects in the erythrocyte membrane or in blood plasma. The degree of aggregation is affected by erythrocyte deformability, erythrocyte membrane sialylation, masking of negative surface charge by plasma proteins, etc. Blood viscosity and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate are affected by the amount of erythrocyte aggregation and are parameters used to measure the aggregation."[1]

Rouleaux formation is seen when plasma proteins are elevated from conditions such as multiple myeloma. Rouleaux formation has been reported in HIV[2], hemoglobinopathies such thalassemia[3] but not sickle cell disease[4].

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Anonymous (2025), Erythrocyte aggregation (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. ↑ Harris CE, Biggs JC, Concannon AJ, Dodds AJ (1990). "Peripheral blood and bone marrow findings in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.". Pathology 22 (4): 206-11. PMID 2091004 ,.
3. ↑ Chen S, Eldor A, Barshtein G, Zhang S, Goldfarb A, Rachmilewitz E et al. (1996). "Enhanced aggregability of red blood cells of beta-thalassemia major patients.". Am J Physiol 270 (6 Pt 2): H1951-6. PMID 8764243.
4. ↑ Morris CL, Rucknagel DL, Joiner CH (1993). "Deoxygenation-induced changes in sickle cell-sickle cell adhesion.". Blood 81 (11): 3138-45. PMID 8499647.