What do red blood cells do for your body?
1 Answer
The primary function of Erythrocytes ( RBC's ) is to carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, and the carbon dioxide released from the tissues back to the lungs where they are released.
Explanation:
A mature erythrocyte has no nucleus and mitochondria, so that oxygen required for it's own metabolism is very low. They also accommodate a high amount of haemoglobin.
Erythrocytes are the cellular component of blood which gives it its characteristic red colour.
Apart from this the RBC's have several secondary functions:
1) RBC's release ATP while passing through constricted blood vessels, relaxing and dilating it to promote normal blood flow.
2) RBC's carrying deoxygenated haemoglobin release
S-nitrosothiols that dilated blood vessels, directing more blood to oxygen depleted parts of the body.
3) RBC's also produce hydrogen sulphide gas , that acts as a signal to relax blood vessel walls.
4) when RBC's are lysed by pathogens ( like certain bacteria) , their haemoglobin releases free radicals that break down the cell walls of pathogens thereby killing them.
