Numerical simulation of the hydrodynamics of endothelial glycocalyx under shear flow

Abstract

Endothelial glycocalyx has been recognized as a mechanotransducer of shear stress to the intracellular cytoskeleton. The elastic property of glycocalyx plays an important role in the red cell movement in the capillary vessels, but the measurement of rigidity is a great challenge. In this paper, we hypothesize that the support force of glycocalyx is caused by the interaction of electrostatic force of the protein in the glycocalyx. This effort is studied by introducing a beads-stick model with negatively charged core protein in each glycocalyx strand linked by a rigid stick. The deformation and recovery caused by the shear stress has been investigated.