Red Blood Cells and Anemia

Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of red blood cells?

Transporting oxygen from lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs

Which vitamin is essential for red blood cell maturation?

Vitamin B12

What is the condition characterized by an excess of red blood cells, leading to thicker blood?

Polycythemia

What causes sickle-cell anemia?

A mutation in one of the amino acids of hemoglobin Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of red blood cells?

Transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues Signup and view all the answers

Why must hemoglobin remain inside red blood cells in humans?

To effectively perform its functions Signup and view all the answers

What is the enzyme present in red blood cells that catalyzes the reaction between CO2 and water?

Carbonic anhydrase Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of carbonic anhydrase in red blood cells?

Catalyzing the reversible reaction between CO2 and water Signup and view all the answers

What is the average diameter of a normal red blood cell?

7.8 micrometers Signup and view all the answers

What is the average volume of a red blood cell?

90 to 95 cubic micrometers Signup and view all the answers

In healthy men, what is the average number of red blood cells per cubic millimeter?

5,200,000 Signup and view all the answers

What is the average percentage of hemoglobin in each red blood cell in normal people?

About 34% Signup and view all the answers

What is the normal hematocrit percentage in healthy individuals?

40 to 45% Signup and view all the answers

How much oxygen can be carried in combination with hemoglobin in a normal man's blood?

$20$ milliliters per 100 milliliters of blood Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, are disc-shaped cells responsible for transporting oxygen from lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs, acting as acid-base buffers.
Red blood cells lack a nucleus and contain hemoglobin, a protein responsible for oxygen transportation.
Anemia occurs when there is a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin, leading to reduced oxygen supply to body tissues.
Polycythemia, also known as polycythemia vera, is a condition with an excess of red blood cells, leading to thicker, more viscous blood.
Red blood cells are produced from stem cells, called colony-forming unit-erythrocytes (CFU-Es), in the bone marrow and develop into reticulocytes before maturing into erythrocytes.
Humans produce red blood cells throughout their life, with production shifting from the liver to the bone marrow after birth.
Regular adult production of red blood cells is carried out by the vertebrae, sternum, and ribs.
Vitamin B12 and folic acid are essential for red blood cell maturation.
Pernicious anemia results from a deficiency of these vitamins, leading to immature and fewer red blood cells.
Hemoglobin synthesis occurs in the proerythroblasts and continues through reticulocyte development.
Iron is required in the heme group of hemoglobin for oxygen binding.
Sickle-cell anemia, a genetic disorder, results from a mutation in one of the amino acids of hemoglobin, causing red blood cells to take on a sickle shape.
Iron is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and a deficiency can lead to anemia due to inadequate red blood cell production.
Red blood cells have a lifespan of approximately 120 days and are recycled through the spleen when destroyed.
Disorders of red blood cells include anemia due to blood loss, bone marrow dysfunction, vitamin deficiencies, immune conditions, and inherited genetic conditions.
Anemia results in a reduced blood viscosity, while polycythemia, an excess of red blood cells, increases blood viscosity and can lead to clots and other complications.