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We reveal that under moderate shear stress (0. 1 Pa) red blood cells present an oscillation of their inclination (swinging) superimposed to the long-observed steady tank treading (TT) motion. A model based on a fluid ellipsoid surrounded by a viscoelastic membrane initially unstrained (shape memory) predicts all observed features of the motion: an increase of both swinging amplitude and period (1/2 the TT period) upon decreasing, a -triggered transition toward a narrow range intermittent regime of successive swinging and tumbling, and a pure tumbling at low values.
Abkarian et al. (Mon,) studied this question.