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Figure 4 | Journal of Biomedical Science

Figure 4

From: Shear-induced endothelial mechanotransduction: the interplay between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) and the pathophysiological implications

Figure 4

Classification and description of flow patterns. (A) Illustration of regular flow and irregular flow. The flow pattern in a parallel-plate flow chamber is laminar with a parabolic-like velocity profile and the flow condition is termed regular flow, which can be steady or pulsatile. In contrast, the flow pattern in a vertical step-flow chamber is disturbed with the formation of eddies and separation of streamlines and thus the flow condition is termed irregular flow, which can be disturbed or oscillatory. (B) Demonstration of various types of flow. According to the magnitude of shear stress and variation of shear stress with time, they can be categorized as static control, steady flow, pulsatile flow, and reciprocating (oscillatory) flow. For static control, no shear stress is produced because there is no flow. For steady flow, a physiological level of shear stress (Ï„) is produced by the flow. For pulsatile flow and reciprocating (oscillatory) flow, cyclic change (e.g. 1 Hz) in the level of shear stress is maintained, but the average level of shear stress (Ï„) of pulsatile flow is relatively higher in comparison with reciprocating (oscillatory) flow, for which the average level of shear stress is zero or very low.

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