How do RBC respire in the absence of mitochondria?

Answer 1

from Inda_splash @ Yahoo:



Mitochondria are the cell organelles which produce energy for the cell , to perform it's basic activities.

Now, RBCs are designed for the maximum carriage of oxygen throughout the body. So, they cannot compensate with other organelles to provide room for Haemoglobin.

So, RBCs derive energy directly through glucose, by glycolysis that takes place inside the cell. The end product is Lactic Acid or Lactate.
Thus, mitochondria are absent, since the glycolysis meets the energy demands of the cell, plus, it doesn't take up the cell volume.

Hope I helped.

Answer 2

Red blood cells do not contain mitochondria and rely on glycolysis to generate ATP for respiration. They produce ATP through the breakdown of glucose into pyruvate, which is further metabolized through the lactic acid fermentation pathway. This allows them to generate energy without the need for oxygen.