9.4.2

Red Blood Cells

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Red Blood Cells

Red blood cells transport oxygen from the lungs to all body cells. They are adapted to do this function because of their features:

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Biconcave shape

  • Red blood cells have dents on each side.
  • We call this a biconcave shape.
  • This biconcave shape creates a large surface area and allows for the rapid diffusion of oxygen.
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Haemoglobin

  • Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which binds with oxygen in the lungs.
  • Haemoglobin carries oxygen which will then be released to the body cells to be used for respiration.
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No nucleus

  • Red blood cells do not have a nucleus. This frees up more room for haemoglobin.
  • This maximises the amount of oxygen that they can carry.
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Small size

  • Red blood cells are small so that they can pass through tiny capillaries.

Jump to other topics

1Classification of Living Organisms

2Organisation of the Organism

3Movement Into & Out of Cells

4Biological Molecules

5Enzymes

6Plant Nutrition

7Human Nutrition

8Transport in Plants

9Transport in Animals

10Diseases & Immunity

11Gas Exchange in Humans

12Respiration

13Excretion in Humans

14Coordination & Response

15Drugs

16Reproduction

17Inheritance

18Variation & Selection

19Organisms & Their Environment

20Human Influence on Ecosystems

21Biotechnology & Genetic Modification

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