Molecular rotors are used to investigate red blood cell rheology. Our study demonstrates that molecular rotors can differentiate between healthy donors based on variations in intracellular hemoglobin concentration and intracellular viscosity. They also uncover intra-donor variability stemming from the cells’ intrinsic properties. This study provides direct evidence supporting the use of the DASPI molecular rotor as a probe for the rapid assessment of cell rigidity and heterogeneity in blood samples, with potential applications in the study of erythrocyte pathologies.
Legend: Localization of the DASPI molecular rotor in relation to red blood cells (RBCs). We designed experiments to test two competing hypotheses: (1) the rotor enters RBCs due to a specific affinity for intracellular proteins, or (2) the rotor penetrates the cells non-specifically, without such affinity.
Reference
Using molecular rotors to investigate hemoglobin concentration and heterogeneity in red blood cells, A. Briole ; M. Marin ; C. Le Van Kim ; B. Abou, J. Rheol. 69, 463–474 (2025)