International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

The present study aims to model and analyze the images of induced in vitro blood clots from healthy donors and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). By using the BioFlux microfluidic system, blood clots are induced at varying shear rates, and for different fibrinogen concentrations: native and highly modified. The fiber diameter of blood clots is analyzed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The obtained images of blood clots are imported as input data into the Image J software environment, after which obtained results for the area, number, and fibrin fiber diameter of blood clots, are further processed in a program developed in IntelliJ IDEA. It is found that patients with T2DM at the native concentration of fibrinogen at all studied shear rates form more blood clots having a larger total area, in comparison with the control group. At the higher modified fibrinogen concentration with increasing shear rate, the group with T2DM forms a smaller number of blood clots with a larger area, compared to healthy donors. From the SEM images, it is found, that denser fibrin networks are formed with increased fibrinogen concentration, which contains numerous thick fibrin fibеrs in healthy and diabetic individuals.

The goal of the present study is to evaluate the elastic properties (Young’s modulus) of erythrocytes from healthy donors and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Morphological and mechanical characteristics of red blood cells are studied in parallel by PeakForce QNM (Quantitative NanoMechanical Mapping) mode of AFM Dimensional ICON Bruker NanoScope V9 Instrument. Young’s modulus is calculated based on the mathematical model of Johnson-Kendall-Roberts by the application of the “two-point method”. AFM images of the erythrocytes from the healthy donors show that erythrocytes with a normal biconcave shape predominate. In patients with T2DM, the so-called erythrocyte polymorphism is studied. The Young’s modulus of erythrocytes, in patients with T2DM, significantly statistically increases by 27% (p≤0,001), compared to the data of healthy donors. The studied Young’s modulus by AFM can be used in clinical practice as a precise biomarker for the state of the red blood cells in T2DM.