Abstract
Lead is a ubiquitous, biohazardous, and toxic heavy metal that induces a broad range of physiological, biochemical, and behavioral dysfunctions. We investigated the effect of lead on hemorheological characteristics, including deformability and aggregation. We found that red blood cell (RBC) deformability was unaffected at low concentrations of lead-rich plasma, but showed a significant decrease at high concentrations even within 1 h of incubation. In addition, apparent alterations in RBC aggregation were observed with an increase in lead concentration and incubation time. These results highlight the influence of lead on hemorheology and microcirculation.