Red Blood Cell
Biology: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 3.3.12
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:
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.
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.
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.
Small size
- Red blood cells are small so that they can pass through tiny capillaries.
Test yourself on Red Blood Cell
How is a red blood cell adapted to its function?
What would happen if red blood cells had a nucleus?