Red Blood Cells
Blood has three types of cells namely platelets, white blood cells or WBCs and Red blood cells or RBCs. They are also called erythrocytes and are the most commonly occurring blood cell type. They constitute about 40-45% of the volume of blood. Blood contains haemoglobin which is a complex protein that has the function of carrying oxygen to all parts of the body. RBCs measure about 6 mm in diameter and they are larger than the platelets but smaller than the white blood cells.
Due to their small size, they can easily squeeze inside the blood vessels of the body. RBCs have the function to transfer oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body. It also has the function of transporting carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body to the lungs for removal. This is due to the presence of haemoglobin which is present inside the red blood cells and is the main transport molecule that helps in carrying oxygen inside the body. It is due to this protein, the blood gets the colour red.
The term ‘RBC’ stands for Red Blood Corpuscle. This is one of the essential components of blood. RBC is also known as Red Blood Cells. Haemoglobin, the iron pigment remains in RBC abbreviation and carries oxygen to the entire body. The red colour of Red Blood Corpuscle is due to the presence of iron-containing protein in the cells.
The key function of RBC full meaning is to deliver oxygen to each of the body cells and convey carbon dioxide to the lungs. The volume of blood that contains nothing but Red Blood Corpuscle is known as ‘hematocrit.' There are approximately 0.5 million RBC in a single drop of blood. If you consider the volume percentage, then for every 600 RBC, there are 40 platelet counts and a single WBC (White Blood Corpuscle).
How RBC Works?
Red Blood Corpuscle or RBC collects oxygen from the lungs and distributes it to the entire body cells, then the RBC carries carbon dioxide to the lungs as a scrap of metabolism. A Red Blood Corpuscle can live up to 120 days long; after that, it is demolished by liver or spleen. RBC is produced automatically in the bone marrow and mixed in the bloodstream for 120 days.
What Vitamins Help the Human Body to Generate More RBC?
With less Red Blood Corpuscle the human body is in severe danger. Only vitamin B12 can help the human body to produce more RBC. To absorb vitamin B12, you need to eat food rich in B12. Remember, deficiency of RBC can cause chronic anemia.
Pomegranate is the best fruit that produces RBC abbreviations in a considerable amount. This fruit is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and iron. If you are diagnosed with a low RBC count, then consuming pomegranate daily can cure your disease.
What are the Diseases that End Up Decreasing the Count of RBC in Your Blood?
There is a hormone called Erythropoietin or EPO produced by the kidney, which promotes the production of the full meaning of RBC in the bone marrow. If you are suffering from serious kidney diseases, then it can hamper the generation of RBC in the blood. Else, sudden kidney failure alleviates the production of Red Blood Corpuscle noticeably.
What Does It Reflect if You are Spotted with a Lower Count of RBC?
Macrocytic anemia
Kidney disease
Kidney failure
Deficiency of Erythropoietin or EPO
Hemolysis
Can a Low Count of RBC Stand for Leukemia?
A low count of Red Blood Corpuscle promotes several side effects, and that might be considered as a sign of cancer. You will start feeling fatigued and weak. Else, suffering from shortness of breath can also be caused by a low RBC count.
If you are running out of RBC in your blood, then eat legumes, dried fruits, red meat, green vegetables, beans, spinach, egg yolks, and others. Food rich in protein can elevate the count of RBC.
FAQs on RBC Full Form
1. What does an rbc look like?
An RBC or Red Blood Corpuscle is microscopic and has a disk-like shape. An RBC doesn’t feature any nucleus. The flexible membranes inside allow the cells to adjust the shape while passing through the tiny blood capillaries.
2. Can regular exercise elevate the count of rbc?
Yes, regular exercise enhances the count of RBC in your blood. Else, walking, and frequent body movement increases the count of Red Blood Corpuscle in the bloodstream. If your body is in a resting state, then plasma expansion takes place, and that causes to alleviate the count of RBC in your blood as well.
3. What is the fastest yet easiest way to increase rbc?
If you are running out of RBC in your blood, then eat legumes, dried fruits, red meat, green vegetables, beans, spinach, egg yolks, and others. Food rich in protein can elevate the count of RBC keeping you healthy and active.
4. What are the functions of rbcs?
RBCs are important as they have important roles. The first function they have is the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. They transport oxygen to all parts of the body and also bring all the carbon dioxide into the body for expulsion. They are also important for maintaining the pH of the blood and this is possible due to the presence of haemoglobin protein which is present in the RBC that functions as an acid-base buffer. Lastly, it helps in the determination of the blood group as all the blood group except O has antigens on the surface of their RBC that gives them their blood group.
5. How are red blood cells produced?
The RBCs are produced at different parts during different periods of development. In the embryonic stage, it is produced in the yolk sac. By mid-trimester, they are produced in the spleen, liver and lymph nodes and at the last trimester and post-birth, they are produced by the bone marrow. This continues till 5 years and after 5 years it is produced in the red bone marrow of long bones for about 20 years. After this, they are produced in the humerus and tibia shaft which is deposited with fat. Bones like the sternum, iliac, ribs and vertebrae also produce RBCs.
6. State some of the factors required for the synthesis of rbcs.
The factors that are required for the synthesis of RBCs are as follows:
Growth inducers which help in the growth and reproduction of the stem cells. For example, interleukin-3.
Differentiation inducers that allow the stem cells to differentiate into mature blood cells. When hypoxia causes low oxygen levels then this results in growth induction and production and differentiation of RBCs.
Hormones like erythropoietin help regulate erythropoiesis which is the formation of RBCs. It is a glycoprotein hormone having a molecular weight of 34,000.
7. What is the action of erythropoietin?
The actions of the erythropoietin hormone are as follows:
It acts on stem cells which lead to their differentiation into mature stem cells that have committed functions.
They promote the synthesis of haemoglobin and act on aminolevulinic acid synthetase.
They promote all the stages of the red blood cells till its maturation.
They also promote the release of red blood cells from the bone marrow to the circulation.
8. What is sickle cell anaemia?
Sickle cell is a genetic disease that causes disorder of the RBCs and makes them unhealthy disrupting their normal functions. Normally, the RBCs are flexible and round in shape but the person who has sickle cell anaemia has the RBCs sickle-shaped or they resemble the crescent moon. People with this disorder do not get malaria as the plasmodium cannot attack the abnormal red blood cells and thus the people with sickle cell anaemia are immune to malaria disease.
