Estudo das propriedades físicas dos eritrócitos de portadores de doença falciforme via Microscopia de Força Atômica

Abstract

The present work aims to understand the physical properties of erythrocytes from sickle cell disease carriers via Atomic Force Microscopy. The erythrocytes are called red blood cells and constitute the largest population of cells in the blood, besides having a great capacity to adapt their shape so that they can move through capillaries of various sizes, which indicates that their physical properties play a key role in performing their functions. Due to genetic mutations, erythrocytes from some individuals present physical properties different from the standard ones. Therefore, the objective of this work is to characterize red cells with different mutations in hemoglobin, specifically, mutations associated with sickle cell anemia, using morphometric and mechanical characterization results from Atomic Force Microscopy. This technique was chosen because of its versatility and accuracy in measurements at the single cell level. Atomic Force Microscopy is a substantial device for studying cellular mechanisms, being able to provide distinct physical information about the cell, including adhesion, which is an important feature of erythrocytes. The more detailed study of erythrocytes is fundamental for the diagnosis of pathologies related to defects in erythrocyte function such as sickle cell anemia.