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Life
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Blood Rheology: Insights & Innovations
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Blood Rheology: Insights & Innovations

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 4357

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Nadia Antonova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Mechanics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: hemorheology; microrheology; biomarkers; blood viscosity; microfluidics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hemorheology is the science of the rheology of blood and its constituents under stress during blood flow in the cardiovascular system, causing it to strain and activate under physiological conditions. Erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets are subjected to mechanical stresses in the cardiovascular system during flow that cause their deformation and chemical activation within physiological limits and beyond these limits in pathological conditions. There are many methods for studying the rheological properties of blood and its constituents. Methods based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been introduced and applied to study the mechanical properties of the blood cell membrane and PLT activation. The introduction of AFM technologies into biomedical research opens up opportunities to develop fundamentally new approaches to study the mechanical properties of blood cell membranes at different stages of ontogenesis. Microfluidics has become a prominent field for the study of blood microrheology and the mechanical properties of blood cells—erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. Many experimental and clinical studies are aimed at the changes in the rheological properties of blood in patients with various pathologies such as cerebrovascular disease of ischemic origins, stroke, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, patients with COVID and post-COVID, during physical exercise, etc. Experimental and clinical studies have shown the influence of blood viscosity and its determinants on blood flow. On the other hand, abnormal hemorheological changes are considered risk factors in these diseases.

This Special Issue aims to showcase research articles and review articles focusing on all aspects of clinical, applied, and basic chemorheological, micromechanical, and mechanobiological research, promising new therapeutic developments and focusing research on the effects of mechanical forces on cells, tissues, and the development of biological systems and tools.

Prof. Dr. Nadia Antonova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hemorheology 
  • microfluidics 
  • blood viscosity 
  • mechanobiology 
  • cellular mechanics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1298 KB  
Article
Investigating the Hemorheological, Metabolic, and Physical Performance Effect of a Core Muscle Strengthening Training Program
by Tobias Mody, Zsuzsanna Nemethne Gyurcsik, Csaba Attila Bakos, Bela Horvath, Barbara Bedocs-Barath, Adam Varga, Adam Attila Matrai, Norbert Nemeth and Sandor Szanto
Life 2025, 15(9), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15091438 - 14 Sep 2025
Viewed by 235
Abstract
Physical activity influences red blood cell (RBC) deformability and aggregation, which affect oxygen transport and performance. While regular training may enhance RBC properties, adaptations depend on exercise intensity, duration, and recovery. This study aimed to assess the impact of a 12-week core muscle [...] Read more.
Physical activity influences red blood cell (RBC) deformability and aggregation, which affect oxygen transport and performance. While regular training may enhance RBC properties, adaptations depend on exercise intensity, duration, and recovery. This study aimed to assess the impact of a 12-week core muscle training program on RBC deformability, aggregation, and aerobic capacity in military trainees. A total of 35 male volunteers were divided into a Training group (n = 17) and a Control group (n = 18). The intervention included dynamic stretching, core stabilization, and functional movement exercises. Spiroergometry tests, blood gas analysis, and hemorheological measurements were conducted before and after the program. Results showed no significant changes in body composition or aerobic capacity. RBC deformability slightly decreased after exercise in both groups, while RBC aggregation increased. Blood viscosity changes were more moderate in the Training group, suggesting potential adaptation. However, the training intensity may have been insufficient for significant hemorheological improvements. While regular physical activity can enhance RBC function, adequate intensity, recovery, and nutrition are essential for optimal adaptation. Individualized training strategies should consider these factors to maximize performance and hemorheological benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blood Rheology: Insights & Innovations)
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14 pages, 2176 KB  
Article
Following-Up Micro-Rheological and Microcirculatory Alterations During the Early Wound Healing Phase of Local and Rotated Musculocutaneous Flaps in Rats
by Gergo Kincses, Laszlo Adam Fazekas, Adam Varga, Adam Attila Matrai, Nguyen Xuan Loc, Kincso Barabasi, Anna Orsolya Flasko, Tamas Juhasz, Abel Molnar and Norbert Nemeth
Life 2025, 15(9), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15091424 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 295
Abstract
In reconstructive surgery, usage of different flaps is essential to cover tissue defects. Twisting, stretching or damaging the vascular pedicle may jeopardize the flaps’ viability. The aim of our experiment was to monitor tissue perfusion parameters of local versus rotated musculocutaneous flaps. In [...] Read more.
In reconstructive surgery, usage of different flaps is essential to cover tissue defects. Twisting, stretching or damaging the vascular pedicle may jeopardize the flaps’ viability. The aim of our experiment was to monitor tissue perfusion parameters of local versus rotated musculocutaneous flaps. In rats, musculus cutaneus maximus-based muscle–skin flaps were prepared bilaterally: one was sutured back to its original position, while the other flap was rotated to the ventral chest region (Flap group). In the Control group, flaps were not prepared. Tissue microcirculation was monitored intraoperatively, and on the 7th and 14th postoperative days. Blood samples were taken for testing hematological and hemorheological parameters. At the end of the observation period, biopsies were taken for biomechanical (tensile strengths) and histological investigations. We found that leukocyte and platelet counts significantly increased in the Flap group, while erythrocyte deformability decreased and aggregation increased. Although both local and rotated flaps survived and wound healing progressed well, in microcirculatory recordings, hypoperfusion and visible red blood cell aggregates were seen mostly in the rotated flaps. The rotated flaps were biomechanically weaker compared to local flaps or intact skin regions. This new model seems to be suitable for studying further flap pathophysiology focusing on tissue perfusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blood Rheology: Insights & Innovations)
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Review

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16 pages, 672 KB  
Review
Long COVID Mechanisms, Microvascular Effects, and Evaluation Based on Incidence
by Aristotle G. Koutsiaris and Kostas Karakousis
Life 2025, 15(6), 887; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15060887 - 30 May 2025
Viewed by 3525
Abstract
Since the initial reports of Long COVID symptoms, numerous pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed to explain them; nevertheless, no consensus has been reached. Some of these mechanisms are directly linked to microcirculation, while others are related indirectly. Those with a direct connection involve [...] Read more.
Since the initial reports of Long COVID symptoms, numerous pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed to explain them; nevertheless, no consensus has been reached. Some of these mechanisms are directly linked to microcirculation, while others are related indirectly. Those with a direct connection involve the respiratory system (such as pulmonary embolism), the cardiovascular system (including cardiac arrest, heart failure, myocardial inflammation, stroke, endothelial dysfunction, and microangiopathy), hematological conditions (like coagulopathy, deep vein thrombosis, microclots, and endothelial irregularities), and brain function. However, few of these mechanisms are grounded in quantitative data and fundamental physiological principles. Furthermore, diagnostic and therapeutic methods remain inadequate. This report provides a brief overview of these processes, focusing primarily on quantitative data, recently proposed mechanisms, and advances in microcirculation, with a special emphasis on the tissue blood supply reduction (TBSR or SR in short) mechanism. Then, the SR pathophysiological mechanism is assessed based on the total incidence rate of the Long COVID symptoms that can be directly attributed to this mechanism. The proposed SR mechanism can account for seven principal Long COVID symptoms with a total normalized incidence of 76%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blood Rheology: Insights & Innovations)
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