Health Articles : Blood Cells
Blood Cells : Shape Of Red Blood Cells
Red Blood CellsRed Blood Cells are the most common type of blood cells found in our body. Also known as the RBC’s or enthrocytes, their main task is delivering oxygen ..... Erythrocytes are the most common type of cells present in blood. Blood is a connective tissue composed of fluid plasma and blood cells. The blood cells include Erythrocytes (red blood cells), Leucocytes (White blood cells) and Platelets (Thrombocytes). There are 4.6 million red blood cells per mm cube of blood. Red blood cells are the primary means of delivering oxygen from the lungs or gills to the body tissues. A Schistocyte is a fragmented part of a red blood cell. Erythrocytes are chiefly made up of Hemoglobin, which is a complex molecule containing Heme groups. The color of the erythrocytes is due to the heme group.
Mammalian erythrocytes are enucleate, when mature. They don’t have a nucleus and thus, no DNA. Mammalian red blood cells assume the shape of a biconcave flattened disc. They are depressed in the center with a dumb-bell shaped depression. This shape of the cell is optimal for the transport of oxygen. The flattened and biconcave shape provides favorable surface area for diffusion in and out of the cell. Another property of the red blood cell is reversible deformability. This property of the cells enables them to change their shape and squeeze through the microcirculation. Healthy people usually have a higher percentage of disc-shaped blood cells.
Blood Cell TypesIt would be an understatement to say that blood cells are extremely crucial in the human body. Blood cells are blood carriers in ..... Erythrocytes are circular, except in camels, where they are oval. In large blood vessels, the red blood cells, sometimes, occur as stacks. This is called as ‘rouleaux formation’ and occurs during inflammation. The human erythrocytes are smaller than other body cells and the standard diameter is 6-8 micrometer.
Normal red blood cells are flexible, disc shaped and thicker at the edges than in the middle. In case of certain abnormalities, red blood cells change shape. In one such case, they become teardrop shaped. In people with Sickle Cell Anemia, the red blood cells become crescent or sickle shaped. These cells get stuck in blood vessels and block blood flow. In a hereditary disease called Spherocytosis, the red blood cells become small and spherical. They lack the light center found in normal round red blood cells. In Elliptocytosis, the red blood cells assume an elliptical shape.
Blood Cell MorphologyThere are two types of blood cells present in a human body. They are the red blood cells and the white blood cells. The red .....
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