Red blood cell shape transitions and dynamics in time-dependent capillary flows

The dynamics of single red blood cells (RBCs) determine microvascular blood flow by adapting their shape to the flow conditions in the narrow vessels. In this study, we explore the dynamics and shape transitions of RBCs on the cellular scale under confined and unsteady flow conditions using a combination of microfluidic experiments and numerical simulations. Tracking RBCs in a comoving frame in time-dependent flows reveals that the mean transition time from the symmetric croissant to the off-centered, non-symmetric slipper shape is significantly faster than the opposite shape transition, which exhibits pronounced cell rotations. Complementary simulations indicate that these dynamics depend on the orientation of the RBC membrane in the channel during the time-dependent flow. Moreover, we show how the tank-treading movement of slipper-shaped RBCs in combination with the narrow channel leads to oscillations of the cell's center of mass. The frequency of these oscillations depends on the cell velocity, the viscosity of the surrounding fluid, and the cytosol viscosity. These results provide a potential framework to identify and study pathological changes of RBC properties.