Study of nanolayer on red blood cells as drug carrier in an artery with stenosis

Abstract This article discusses a novel idea from cell therapy in which nanoparticles (NPs) are adsorbed on red blood cells (RBCs). RBCs serve as a drug carrier for NPs or nanodrugs adsorbed on the cell membrane of RBC. For the purpose of examination, Fe 3 O 4 {{\rm{Fe}}}_{3}{{\rm{O}}}_{4} NPs are adsorbed on RBCs, collectively called NP-RBC complex. RBCs being a natural vascular carrier, have high transfusion rates and biocompatibility. This mathematical study provides a basis to attempt nanodrug delivery via RBCs, as carriers for nanodrugs, to the stenosed sites in an artery. The mathematical model is developed for an artery with stenosis and a catheter that regards the temperature and velocity of the NP-RBC complex. Catheter coated with the NP-RBC complex is inserted into the lumen of the stenosed artery. The mathematical problem is solved numerically using Bernstein polynomials. The physical features were discussed through graphs plotted using MATLAB. The influence of parameters such as volume fraction, radius of the NP-RBC complex in blood, and the thickness of the nanolayer on RBCs was studied. A noticeable outcome states that the nanolayer of optimum thickness about 50–40 nm is suitable for this purpose. Thus, this is an attempt to study the delivery of NPs adsorbed on the surface of RBCs to develop newfangled strategies in nanomedicine bearing high precision and efficiency.