Understanding red blood cell behavior in contracting clot

Blood clots are active biomaterial in which anucleate cells, called platelets, can extend micrometer-long filopodia to impose contractile forces on the fibrin scaffold that lead to drastic macroscopic changes in clot volume. Blood clots are involved in physiologic and pathologic processes such as wound healing and thrombosis diseases. Blood clots composition and properties depend on their location within blood circulation. Red blood cells (RBCs) affect the structure, mechanical properties and contraction process of blood clots. We use experiments and mesoscale modeling to examine the biophysics of clot contraction. We evaluate the effects of platelets and RBCs on the macroscale biomaterial properties and contraction dynamics of blood clots. We probe how RBCs concentration affects clot contraction. We also examine the effect of clot contraction on RBC shape and ability to remain within a contracting clot.