In mature red blood cells (RBCs), the nucleus is expelled during the process of erythropoiesis, which occurs in the bone marrow. This loss of the nucleus allows RBCs to maximize space for hemoglobin, the protein responsible for oxygen transport. As a result, mature red blood cells do not contain a nucleus, enabling them to be more flexible and efficient in their role within the circulatory system.
They do not divide. The process by which red blood cells are produced is called erythropoiesis. Red blood cells are continuously being produced in the red bone marrow of large bones, at a rate of about 2 million per second.But many people might wonder "how we could produce so many red cells each second without chromosomes which hold a cell's directions for HOW to divide and multiply!" The answer lies in realizing that, unlike many tissue types (skin, muscle, live, etc) that divide and produce two mature tissue cells, red blood cells go through several stages of developmentActually, a human red blood cell DOES have chromosomes, and they DO divide. But, as noted above, this situation exists only in the early life stagesof a red blood cell ( that is, the early stages of erythropoiesis) and these stages take place only in the bone marrow. All the dividing occurs during a red blood cells "infancy", so to speak. (You wouldn't recognize them though, as each is a big cell with a big nucleus - nothing like the common, tiny, nucleus-free "adult" red blood cells. By the time it's an adult, a red blood cell will have lost it's nucleus.) The mature adult red blood cellsdrawn from someone's vein are only the final stage in a red blood cell's life, but for most people these are the only red blood cells they have ever seen.So, although it is true for the red blood cells you've probably seen, try making a small change in your mindset from "theydo not divide", to ""Adult red blood cells do not divide". That solves the mystery. (Besides, they don't have to! Did that; been there. Now they get to coast - as tiny, flexible oxygen delivery guys.) -John Bohn, MD
Red blood cells do not go through osmosis because they lack a nucleus and organelles needed for osmosis. Instead, they rely on diffusion to exchange gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide across their cell membrane.
The nucleus is essential for storing and protecting the cell's genetic material (DNA). It also helps regulate gene expression and controls cell activities. Without a nucleus, the cell would not be able to carry out essential functions such as replication, growth, and protein synthesis.
Red blood cells do not undergo mitosis because they lose their nucleus during maturation, so they cannot divide or replicate. Their main function is to carry oxygen, and the absence of a nucleus allows for more space to carry hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein. Red blood cell production occurs in the bone marrow from stem cells that do undergo mitosis.
Nowhere special, it just dies in the body, and is replaced when it does.
Red Blood Cells are made in the red bone marrow and have a life cycle within which their roles and properties change over time. As Red Blood Cells age, their outer proteins change, making them recognizable to phagocytes, whose role is to destroy, digest, and remove old cells. This is the natural cycle involved. Taking a step back, the changes in the cell membrane of the red blood cell mean that it can no longer do its job of taking up hemoglobin. Red Blood Cells are made in the red bone marrow and have a life cycle within which their roles and properties change over time. As Red Blood Cells age, their outer proteins change, making them recognizable to phagocytes, whose role is to destroy, digest, and remove old cells. This is the natural cycle involved. Taking a step back, the changes in the cell membrane of the red blood cell mean that it can no longer do its job of make hemoglobin.
The red blood cell is really just a package of hemoglobin, which does not require any kind of metabolic process to perform its function. The absorption and release of oxygen by hemoglobin is spontaneous, it does not have to be driven by any other chemical process. This is quite unlike other cells which have functions that require some kind of biochemical activity that would be directed by the genetics of the cell nucleus and assisted by organelles such as mitochondria etc. Muscle cells need these things to be able to contract or relax. Nerve cells need these things to be able to transmit or receive nerve signals. But red blood cells perform their function automatically, due to the chemical properties of hemoglobin.
They do not divide. The process by which red blood cells are produced is called erythropoiesis. Red blood cells are continuously being produced in the red bone marrow of large bones, at a rate of about 2 million per second.But many people might wonder "how we could produce so many red cells each second without chromosomes which hold a cell's directions for HOW to divide and multiply!" The answer lies in realizing that, unlike many tissue types (skin, muscle, live, etc) that divide and produce two mature tissue cells, red blood cells go through several stages of developmentActually, a human red blood cell DOES have chromosomes, and they DO divide. But, as noted above, this situation exists only in the early life stagesof a red blood cell ( that is, the early stages of erythropoiesis) and these stages take place only in the bone marrow. All the dividing occurs during a red blood cells "infancy", so to speak. (You wouldn't recognize them though, as each is a big cell with a big nucleus - nothing like the common, tiny, nucleus-free "adult" red blood cells. By the time it's an adult, a red blood cell will have lost it's nucleus.) The mature adult red blood cellsdrawn from someone's vein are only the final stage in a red blood cell's life, but for most people these are the only red blood cells they have ever seen.So, although it is true for the red blood cells you've probably seen, try making a small change in your mindset from "theydo not divide", to ""Adult red blood cells do not divide". That solves the mystery. (Besides, they don't have to! Did that; been there. Now they get to coast - as tiny, flexible oxygen delivery guys.) -John Bohn, MD
Red blood cells do not go through osmosis because they lack a nucleus and organelles needed for osmosis. Instead, they rely on diffusion to exchange gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide across their cell membrane.
The nucleus is essential for storing and protecting the cell's genetic material (DNA). It also helps regulate gene expression and controls cell activities. Without a nucleus, the cell would not be able to carry out essential functions such as replication, growth, and protein synthesis.
Red blood cells do not undergo mitosis because they lose their nucleus during maturation, so they cannot divide or replicate. Their main function is to carry oxygen, and the absence of a nucleus allows for more space to carry hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein. Red blood cell production occurs in the bone marrow from stem cells that do undergo mitosis.
Through bone marrow
White blood cell count goes down. Red stays the same.
The nucleus is. The nucleus is basically a parent of the cell. It tells it where to go and what to do.
Nowhere special, it just dies in the body, and is replaced when it does.
Nowhere special, it just dies in the body, and is replaced when it does.
Nothing will happen to a red blood cell in an isotonic solution. An isotonic solution means that the amount of solvent in the solution is the same inside the cell as it is outside the cell. Osmosis occurs, but the water going into the cell equals the water leaving the cell. A red blood cell in a hypotonic solution will burst because more water will go into the cell than the water leaving it. A red blood cell in a hypertonic solution will shrivel up because more water will leave the cell than go into it.