shape and gross structure
- biconcave
- 7.8 micrometers
- pretty dang flexible
- produce ATP via anaerobic respiration
- no ribosomes or mitochondria
- produced in the kidneys
- stimulus: hypoxia
- earliest immature RBCs
- 0.5-2% of circulating RBCs
- circulate 1-2 days
- contain reticulum = reticular mesh network of ribosomal DNA
- cresyl blue staining (for RNA)
what's all this about buffers then?
- they can transport large amounts of CO2 as bicarb! thanks to carbonic anhydrase
- transported to lung and excreted
- bicarbonate-chloride carrier protein means HCO3 diffuses out from red cells to plasma, and Cl diffuses in instead = chloride shift
- Intracellular Cl concentration higher in venous RBCs
- see Carbon dioxide transport