Platelet dynamics in a shear flow: Roughness-induced drifting mechanism
The YALES2BIO solver makes use of the Force Coupling Method to simulate scenarios where fluid flow interacts with a rigid object. For instance, the dynamics of an unactivated platelet can be modeled by coupling a Newtonian flow with a rigid oblate ellipsoid. When the particle approaches a solid surface, it may bind via biochemical bonds mediated by receptors such as GPIIb/IIIa or GPIb. Our recent work has demonstrated that adhesion can be dramatically reduced by the presence of carefully designed surface roughness, which can actively repel the particle away from the surface (Raveleau 2025, PhD thesis; Nicoud, Raveleau, & Mendez, CMBE 2026). The video below illustrates this ongoing research.
MOVIE: PLatelet dynamics over different surfaces.