Red Blood Cell
Red Blood Cell
Red Blood Cells (RBCs), also known as erythrocytes (pronounced: eh-RITH-ro-sites), are the most common type of blood cell and the principal means of delivering oxygen (O2) to the body tissues via the blood flow through the circulatory system. The cells are filled with a protein called hemoglobin which is responsible for carrying oxygen.
Etymology
The term "erythrocyte" comes from the Greek words "erythros" meaning "red", and "kytos" meaning "hollow", referring to the cell's red color and its concave shape.
Structure
Red Blood Cells are biconcave discs, a shape that provides a large surface area to volume ratio. They lack a cell nucleus and most organelles, in order to accommodate maximum space for hemoglobin.
Function
The primary function of Red Blood Cells is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues, and carbon dioxide as a waste product away from the tissues and back to the lungs.
Related Terms
- Hemoglobin: The protein molecule in Red Blood Cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
- Erythropoiesis: The process by which Red Blood Cells are produced.
- Anemia: A condition in which the body lacks enough healthy Red Blood Cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues.
- Hematocrit: The proportion of the blood that consists of packed Red Blood Cells.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Red Blood Cell
- Wikipedia's article - Red Blood Cell
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