Appearance, Function and Kinetics of Erythrocyte

Function and Kinetics



  • Erythrocytes are produced in the bone marrow and released into the peripheral blood where they may remain for approximately 120 days before senescence.
  • Their main function is the transport of the respiratory gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the lungs and body tissues.
  • Each erythrocyte can be thought of as an "envelope" containing hemoglobin.
  • Each hemoglobin molecule contains iron which has a high affinity for oxygen.
  • As a result, when an erythrocyte passes through one of the capillaries of the lungs, it picks up oxygen.
  • The oxygen is transported through the blood to the tissues where it is released.
  • Carbon dioxide from the tissues then diffuses into the RBC where it undergoes chemical changes.
  • About 70% of the altered carbon dioxide diffuses into the plasma, 25% binds to the hemoglobin molecule, and 5% goes into simple solution within the red cell.
  • In each of these three ways carbon dioxide is transported from the body tissues back to the lungs, where it is released.

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