Evaluating Red Blood Cells' Membrane Fluidity in Diabetes: Insights, Mechanisms, and Future Aspects

Abstract

Aims: This review evaluates the mechanisms underlying red blood cell (RBC) membrane fluidity changes in diabetes mellitus (DM) and explores strategies to assess and address these alterations. Emphasis is placed on developing a comprehensive index for membrane fluidity to improve monitoring and management in diabetic patients.

Materials and methods: We reviewed current literature on RBC membrane fluidity, focussing on lipid composition, glycation, oxidative stress, and lipid transport alterations in diabetic patients. Key methodologies include lipidomics, multi-scale probe assessment, and machine learning integration for standardized fluidity measurement.

Results: Diabetic RBCs exhibit increased membrane fluidity, primarily due to oxidative stress, increased glycation, and dysregulated lipid composition. These alterations contribute to vascular complications and impair RBC functionality. Assessing membrane composition as a nutritional marker provides insights into the metabolic impacts of glycaemic management.

Conclusions: There is a critical need for a unified and comprehensive membrane fluidity index in DM, which could support personalised interventions through dietary, medicinal, and lifestyle modifications. Future research should prioritise standardising measurement techniques and integrating lipidomic data with machine learning for predictive modelling, aiming to enhance clinical outcomes for diabetic patients.

Keywords: confocal microscopy; diabetes mellitus; membrane fluidity; microscopy; red blood cells.