© 2003 Robert A. Freitas Jr. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Nanomedicine, Volume IIA: Biocompatibility, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 2003

15.5.5.3.4 Disruption of Leukocyte Aggregation

Human leukocytes are known to aggregate: (1) during phagocytosis of bacteria [3882, 4138] (though somewhat less so during viral infections [4139]); (2) during passage through vascular stents of various designs and surface textures [3875]; (3) following surgery [3889]; or (4) in other situations such as cerebral ischemia and myocardial infarction [4140, 4141]. Leukocyte aggregation is also involved in the generation of vascular damage during various inflammatory conditions [4142]. However, this aggregation is reversible in vitro and often presents no clinical evidence for leukoembolization [4143], so any possible disaggregative influences from medical nanorobots – whether incidental or purposeful – are unlikely to prove pathological. The comparable aggregability of both white and red cells during acute myocardial infarction [4141] and the coaggregation of leukocytes and erythrocytes during infection [4144] and inflammation [4145] suggests that these two cell types may share common adhesive proteins. Since the mere presence of medical nanorobots is unlikely to significantly interfere with normal red cell aggregation (Section 15.5.5.1.3), this conclusion might be extended to white cells as well.

Last updated on 30 April 2004