Figure 7

Instantaneous profiles of the RBC membrane buckling under channel flow conditions. The progression of the membrane pinching is shown in sequential frames as indicated by the dimensionless time kt. θ denotes the time at which the onset of pinching was observed. The bottom panel of images provide a zoomed-in view of the pinched region where an increasing force in the adverse direction contributes to the growing instability that finally leads to membrane buckling and twisting.