“Why is the blood red?” – This question is often asked by small children and parents usually do not know a correct answer with which to explain this phenomenon. Erythrocytes (colloquially known as red blood cells) are the deciding factor here that keeps the blood red and healthy.
What are erythrocytes?
Erythrocytes or red blood cells are the most abundant cells in human blood. Among other things, they serve to transport oxygen from the lungs to the organs, bones and tissues. Click to enlarge. Blood contains solid and liquid components. The red blood cells or erythrocytes are responsible for the intense red color of the blood. Without the erythrocytes, the entire organ systems of the body would not be able to survive. In addition, erythrocytes come from a special maturation process called erythropoiesis. Only fully matured erythrocytes may be flushed out of the blood-forming organs, for example the bone marrow. The hematopoiesis of erythrocytes is hereditary. If genetic defects occur, malformed erythrocytes occur.
Measuring blood values, blood testing and erythrocytes.
The quantity of erythrocytes in the blood varies according to gender. Normal values in men are reported to be between 4.7 and 6.4 million erythrocytes per microliter of blood. In healthy women, this parameter ranges from 4.0 to 5.6 million cells per microliter of blood. In connection with the erythrocytes, diagnostically relevant factors such as hemoglobin and hematocrit are determined, These are used to calculate other parameters. Healthy people, in this case men, have a hemoglobin content of 13.6 to 17.4 g/dl blood, women somewhat less, 12.0 to 15.1 g/dl blood. The hematocrit, which records the percentage of blood cells, especially erythrocytes, ranges from 42 to 55%, in women from 36 to 46%. An additional laboratory examination, which focuses on the quality of the erythrocytes, is the large blood count with a so-called differential smear. This detects any immature erythrocytes that may be present in the blood. As an erythrocyte moves through the bloodstream, it travels through all organs through the veins, arteries and microfine capillaries, reaching an age of approximately 130 days. Then the erythrocyte is broken down in the liver and its remnants are excreted in the urine and stool.
Function, action, and tasks
During its life, an erythrocyte is constantly engaged in the transport of oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide. The blood cell performs this task through its own hemoglobin (accounts for the red coloration of blood due to an iron component bound to a round protein body). Hemoglobin is also known as red blood pigment and has the ability to bind oxygen to itself from the capillaries of the lungs and release it into the tissues. Instead of oxygen, the erythrocyte takes up carbon dioxide, carries it to the pulmonary capillaries and exhalation occurs. The oxygen partial pressure has an important meaning in this context. Other functions of the very small erythrocytes include the regulation of blood pressure. In addition, the erythrocytes equally influence the flow of blood. If there are disturbances in the maturation of erythrocytes as well as abnormalities in their composition, specific blood diseases occur.
Diseases
The diagnosis of blood, very specifically of erythrocytes, aims to detect diseases of the red blood system such as anemia or anemia, polyglobulia (excess of erythrocytes), and irregularities in the water balance of a patient. Among the very specific diseases that can occur in connection with the erythrocytes are blood loss with a chronic course, in which continuous, unnoticed bleeding over a long period of time can be the cause. Important in the case of erythrocytes, as in the case of leukocytes, are the deficiencies that can occur in the production of blood cells within the stages of maturation and quantity. In addition to these diseases, kidney diseases can cause anemia, which leads to a shortage of erythrocytes as renal anemia. In addition, typical symptoms may indicate an undersupply of iron to the erythrocytes in the form of iron deficiency anemia or vitamin deficiency anemia. Individual types of cancer and blood cancer may equally affect the erythrocytes.Erythrocyte disorders also include polyglobulia, transient sickle cell anemia, and abnormally increased output of immature erythrocytes into the blood.
Typical and common disorders
- Hemolysis
- Anemia (anemia), iron deficiency anemia.
- Renal anemia
- Sickle cell anemia
