Function Of The Red Blood Cell
These are the two important functions of a red blood cell:
Carries Oxygen:
The red blood cell transports oxygen from the lungs, to the other tissues and cells of the body. And how does the red blood cell manage to do this? Well, the hemoglobin presents in the red blood cell is a protein, which binds itself to the oxygen molecules inhaled. When a person inhales, oxygen from the atmosphere enters the body through the nostril and reaches the lungs. At the lungs, hemoglobin moclecules bind themselves to the oxygen molecules and move to the heart. From the heart, the same oxygen-containing blood is pumped to the res of the body parts. the hemiglobin molecules then release the oxygen molecules to the cells of the body. Basically, hemoglobin takes oxygen from high oxygen level areas and releases them in low oxygen level areas of the body. Thus, red blood cells actually perform the function of transporting life-sustaining oxygen to the different parts of the body.
Carries Carbon Dioxide:
The other function of the red blood cell is to partly carry carbon dioxide, which is a waste product of metabolic activities in the body. Carbon dioxide is actually formed in the cells as a result of the chemical reaction taking place. This waste product is then excreted through the blood plasma and red blood cells. While the red blood cells play a major role in eliminating carbon dioxide from the cells, blood plasma also accounts for a small amount of carbon dioxide removal. The hemoglobin in the red blood cells bind the carbon dioxide molecules to form carbaminohaemoglobin. However, unlike oxygen molecules, carbon dioxide molecules do not bind to the iron part of hemoglobin. Instead, they combine with the amino acid groups on the hemoglobin polypeptide chains. Thus, red blood cells transports carbon dioxide from the various cells of the body and take them to the lungs, from where it is discarded by exhalation.
Carries Oxygen:
The red blood cell transports oxygen from the lungs, to the other tissues and cells of the body. And how does the red blood cell manage to do this? Well, the hemoglobin presents in the red blood cell is a protein, which binds itself to the oxygen molecules inhaled. When a person inhales, oxygen from the atmosphere enters the body through the nostril and reaches the lungs. At the lungs, hemoglobin moclecules bind themselves to the oxygen molecules and move to the heart. From the heart, the same oxygen-containing blood is pumped to the res of the body parts. the hemiglobin molecules then release the oxygen molecules to the cells of the body. Basically, hemoglobin takes oxygen from high oxygen level areas and releases them in low oxygen level areas of the body. Thus, red blood cells actually perform the function of transporting life-sustaining oxygen to the different parts of the body.
Carries Carbon Dioxide:
The other function of the red blood cell is to partly carry carbon dioxide, which is a waste product of metabolic activities in the body. Carbon dioxide is actually formed in the cells as a result of the chemical reaction taking place. This waste product is then excreted through the blood plasma and red blood cells. While the red blood cells play a major role in eliminating carbon dioxide from the cells, blood plasma also accounts for a small amount of carbon dioxide removal. The hemoglobin in the red blood cells bind the carbon dioxide molecules to form carbaminohaemoglobin. However, unlike oxygen molecules, carbon dioxide molecules do not bind to the iron part of hemoglobin. Instead, they combine with the amino acid groups on the hemoglobin polypeptide chains. Thus, red blood cells transports carbon dioxide from the various cells of the body and take them to the lungs, from where it is discarded by exhalation.