HGMS studies of blood cell behavior in plasma

Magnetic behavior of human blood cells in plasma was studied in High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS) with the single wire technique. Human venous blood was oxygenated or deoxygenated by passing it through a gas-permeable tubular membrane with oxygen or nitrogen gases on the outside. The rate of collection of red blood cells in the deoxygenated blood havinz Hematocrit 9 - 45% was determined by observing the increase in radius of cell collection on the wire. Effects of hematocrit and velocity of blood on buildup were determined. At low red cell concentration, the magnetic susceptibility of individual red blood cells was determined using trajectory analysis. Particles of unknown type were found with susceptibility values different from red blood cells. Diamagnetic behavior of white cells in plasma was confirmed. The experimental conditions of this study are more physiologic than the Saline dilution and chemical reducing agents employed by others in previous studies.