![]() ![]() Figure 18.3.1 Summary of Formed Elements in Blood Shape and Structure of ErythrocytesĪs an erythrocyte matures in the red bone marrow, it extrudes its nucleus and most of its other organelles. Although leukocytes typically leave the blood vessels to perform their defensive functions, movement of erythrocytes from the blood vessels is abnormal. The primary function of erythrocytes is to pick up oxygen from the lungs and transport it to the body’s tissues, and to pick up carbon dioxide at the tissues and transport it to the lungs. ![]() They are small cells, with a mean diameter of 7–8 micrometers ( µm). In fact, erythrocytes are estimated to make up about 25 percent of the total cells in the body. Specifically, males have about 5.4 million erythrocytes per microliter ( µL) of blood, and females have approximately 4.8 million per µL. The erythrocyte, commonly known as a red blood cell (or RBC), is by far the most common formed element: A single drop of blood contains millions of erythrocytes and only thousands of leukocytes ( Figure 18.3.1). Discuss the various steps in the lifecycle of an erythrocyte.Explain the composition and function of hemoglobin.By the end of this section, you will be able to:ĭiscuss the structure and function of erythrocytes (red blood cells) and hemoglobin
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