C. Desjardins is a coauthor with B. R. Duling of a 1990 experiment investigating the endothelial glycocalyx and red blood cell distribution in capillaries. They perfused individual capillaries with heparinase and measured tube hematocrit, the fraction of the local vessel volume occupied by red blood cells. The measured fraction increased at least twofold without a significant change in red blood cell velocity.[ref]
Heparinase treatment suggests a role for the endothelial cell glycocalyx in regulation of capillary hematocrit by C. Desjardins and B. R. Duling. Abstract: in-situ enzyme microperfusion and tube hematocrit; American Journal of Physiology 258, H647–H654, 1990
The controls make the inference useful. Vehicle alone and heat-denatured heparinase did not produce the same effect, arguing against simple perfusion or the mere presence of added protein as explanations. Measuring both tube hematocrit and velocity also distinguishes more red blood cells occupying a segment from faster movement through it. The results supported a role for components of the inner capillary surface in cell distribution, without directly measuring every structural feature of the endothelial glycocalyx.[ref]
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