Numerical Simulation of Blood-Wall Albumin Transport in a Realistic Human Right Coronary Artery

Low wall shear stress (WSS) is commonly implicated in endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis. The accumulation of macromolecules is also considered as an important factor contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. In the present study a fluid-wall model, incorporating shear-dependent endothelial transport properties, was developed and used to study the transport of albumin from blood to and within the wall in a realistic human right coronary artery (RCA). Numerical simulations were performed at both steady and pulsatile flow conditions, and results were compared to evaluate the effect of flow pulsatility.