Normal erythrocyte
 Biconcave disks: to promote gas exchange
between CO2 and O2, for the flexibility and
deformability of the cell
 7-8 u in diameter
 1.5 to 2.5 u thick: MCAT
 Ave. volume: 90fl (80-100 MCV)
 Average surface area: 160 um2
 Average life span : 120 days
Test if the red cells are maximizing their 120 days
RBC survival studies
Radioactive chromium
Normal rbc half life: 25-32 days
Half life means the no. of days where in atleast
50% of the radioactivity of chromium will disappear
from the circulation
1% a day is emitted
 Anucleate with a dense outer rim
 Cytoplasm: uniformly pink without inclusions
 Central pallor: 1/3 its diameter (pale because it
has no Hb)
o >1/3 = lacks Hb (hypochromic)
 Size: small lymphocyte: NUCLEUS IS
COMPARABLE WITH THE NORMOCYTE
 Slight variation in size and shape : <5% (increase
in shape and size is abnormal)
 Flexible and deformable : (biconcavity)
RBC Membrane
 Surround the cell cytoplasm and internal
structure
 Selective transport: it doesn’t easily allow the
diffusion of substances
 Selects the entry of water, electrolytes and
other molecules
 Regulates the shape and deformability
o 50% protein (one surface = peripheral)
(crosses the phospholipid = integral )
o 40% lipid (phospholipid & cholesterol)
o 10% CHO (in combination of lipids =
glycolipids or with protein =
glycoprotein) exposed = antigenic
property of the blood cell
Membrane composition
Proteins
 Integral proteins : sialic acid
(important in imparting a negative
charge to maintain the zeta
potential) = red cells repel each
other because there is a negative
charge surrounding them (attracted
to each other= realaux)
o Glycophorin
o Component a (band 3)
 Peripheral proteins : skeleton
(maintain the shape and
deformability)
o Spectrin
o Actin
Integral protein importance: to serve as a membrane
transport mechanism
-it allows the passage of molecules (inlet or outlet)
Membrane enzyme systems
 Na – k – ATPase
o Regulates the entry of Na and K in and
out so that Na is maintained as the
major extracellular cation and K is
maintained as the major intracellular
cation.
o Impair: causes excessive inlet/ outlet of
cations
o Excessive inlet = cell becomes
hypertonic = swelling
 Ca- Mg- ATPase
 ATPase= active transport (requires transport
protein and expenditure of energy which is the
ATP)
Lipids
 Phospholipid bilayer (liquid sealer): stabilized by
the proteins where they are connected
 Tail= hydrophobic; head= polar/ hydrophilic
o External: phosphatidyl choline,
glycolipids and sphingomyelin
o Internal: Cephalin, phosphatidylinositol
& phosphatidylserine
  Cholesterol (regulation of membrane fluidity
and permeability to electrolytes)
 Surface: area volume
 Plasma cholesterol, bile acids and the activity of
the enzyme LCAT
 plasma cholesterol high (hypercholesterolemia
= macrocytes and target cells )
 Bile acids: fat digestion & solubilization
 Lecitin cholesterol acyl transferase: cholesterol
esterification (Chole + ester (fatty acid) =
cholesterol ester)

Carbohydrate

 Insert table (gene disorder Comment)

Metabolic act in the rbc

Increase RNA = Immaturity of RBC – metabolic

activity

Mature RBC = for gas transport

Immature: metabolically active

1. Embden Meyerhof pathway

a. Anerobic component is for the
production of ATP (90-95%)
b. For every glucose produces 4 ATP, 2 for
GDP (total ATP = 4; net is 2)
2. Hexose monophosphate shunt/ PPP
a. Oxidative glycolysis
b. 5-10% ATP
c. Generates NADPH
d. (reduced NADPH and glutathione)
Prevents denaturation of Hb by
oxidation
i. Major antioxidant activity of the
red blood cell
3. Rapoport- Luebering pathways (production of
2,3DPG)
a. Methemoglobin Reduction