ABSTRACT
Cell biomechanics and blood flow encompass elementary processes involving a broad range of length scales, as illustrated in Figure 3.1. Applications range from situations involving molecular-scale cell surface receptors, to blood flow through large vessels and in the microcirculation. For example, the adhesion of a leukocyte to the endothelium wall involves the deformation of a cell whose size is on the order of micrometers. In contrast, adhesion is mediated by bonds whose length is on the order of the nanometers. Blood flows from large arteries whose diameter is on the order of centimeters to capillaries whose diameter can be as small as a few micrometers. The importance of coupling the different length scales is underscored by observing that plaque developed in the carotid can have a significant effect on the flow in the whole circulation. When plaque develops, the heart is required to pump a higher volume of blood to supply the amount necessary for the normal function of the brain.
