Erythrocytes (RBC)
By
Dr. Mahesh Gupta ([Link]., Ph.D.)
Assistant professor
NVC Nagpur
FUNCTIONS OF ERYTHROCYTES
• Transport hemoglobin -carries oxygen from the lungs to the
tissues.
• contain large quantity of carbonic anhydrase which catalyzes
the reversible reaction between carbon dioxide and water.
Transport of carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs in
the form of bicarbonate.
• Hemoglobin in the cells is an excellent acid base buffer.
Therefore, the RBCs are responsible for most of the acid base
buffering power of whole blood.
STRUCTURE OF RBC
• The cell membrane of RBC is made up of lipids (lecithin,
cephalin and cholesterol) and glycoprotein encloses a spongy
inner structure called the stroma.
• Inner lining of the membrane - Spectrin protein
• outer layer is formed by glycoproteins, have the blood group
antigens.
• The cell membrane is highly permeable to lipid soluble
substances, glucose, urea and water.
• Hemoglobin is deposited in the inter-spaces of the spongy
stroma. The surface of mature erythrocyte is smooth, while the
immature RBCs have relatively rough surface.
SHAPE OF RBC
• The mammalian RBCs : non-nucleated and
non-motile cells, biconcave circular disc
with central pale spot.
– Dog, Cow : Markedly biconcave.
– Horse and cat: Shallow concaving,
– Goat: Very shallow or flat surfaced
erythrocytes.
Normal Caprine
Normal Canine
– Camel and Deer: Elliptical and sickle shaped. RBC
RBC
– Cold blooded animals (amphibians and
birds): Elliptical and nucleated.
Significance of biconcavity of RBCs
It increase the surface area thus facilitating the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
carried by the RBCs.
Camel RBC Avian RBC
SIZE OF RBC
• Average diameter of RBC ranges from 4.1 to
7.5 µm . Species Size (µm )
Goat 4.1
Sheep 5.0
Cattle 5.6
Horse 5.6
Pig 6.2
Cat 6.5
Dog 7.3
Man 7.5
Surface area‚ varies from 57-67m2 / kg body weight in mammals. It is lowest in goat (lesser
diameter) and highest in man (greater diameters).
COMPOSITION OF ERYTHROCYTES
• Erythrocyte contains 62 - 72% water and 35% solids. Of the
solids, 95% is contributed by Hb and the remaining 5% by cell
and stromal protein, lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol,
cholesterol esters, neutral fat and vitamins.
CONCENTRATION(NUMBER) OF RBCs
• Concentration of RBC in domestic animals
(millions/ mm3 of blood)
Species Concentration of RBC
Fowl 3.0 (2.8 – 3.2 )
Pig 6.5 (5.8- 8.0)
Dog 6.8 (5.5-8.5)
Sheep 12.0 (8.0-16.0)
Cattle 7.0 (5.0-10.0)
Goat 13.0 (8.0-18.0)
Horse 6.5 (6.5-12.5)
Cat 7.5 (5.0-10.0)
Man 5.4 (5.0-6.0)
Women 4.8 (4.0-5.0)
ABNORMALITIES OF RBC CONCENTRATION
• Polcythemia
• Oligocythemia
• Anaemia
LIFE SPAN OF ERYTHROCYTES
Life span of erythrocytes (days)
Cattle Sheep Goat Horse Dog Cat Pig Poultry
125-150 140-150 125-150 140-150 100-120 70-80 51-79 20-30
SITE OF DESTRUCTION OF ERYTHROCYTES
In most of the domestic animals bone marrow functions as a
chief site of destruction of erythrocytes, whereas in man it is the
spleen.
In the birds liver acts as an organ of destruction of
erythrocytes.
Monocyte-Macrophage Cell System
(Reticuloendothelial System)
• Monocytes are wandering phagocytic blood cells.
• Monocytes becomes macrophages (large cells)on entering tissues
• Macrophages are mobile (wandering ) and fixed (tissue) marophage
• Monocytes or fixed macrophages - remains attached for months or
even years until they are called on to perform specific local
protective functions.
• They have the same capabilities as the mobile macrophages to
phagocytize large quantities of bacteria, viruses, necrotic tissue, or
other foreign particles in the tissue.
• When appropriately stimulated, they can break away from their
attachments and once again become mobile macrophages that
respond to chemotaxis and all the other stimuli related to the
inflammatory process.
• Thus, the body has a widespread “monocyte-macrophage system”
in virtually all tissue areas.
RE system cont…..
• The total combination of monocytes, mobile macrophages,
fixed tissue macrophages, and a few specialized endothelial
cells in the bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes is called
the reticuloendothelial system.
• However, all or almost all these cells originate from monocytic
stem cells; therefore, the reticuloendothelial system is almost
synonymous with the monocyte-macrophage system.
• Tissue Macrophages in the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissues
(Histiocytes).
• Macrophages in the Lymph Nodes.
• Alveolar Macrophages in the Lungs: Giant Cells capsule
• Macrophages in the Liver Sinusoids: Kupffer Cells
• Macrophages of the Spleen and Bone Marrow
Role of RE system
• Making new hematopoietic cells
• Making new connective tissue cells
• Cleaning up old circulating cells
• Control of iron metabolism
FATE OF ERYTHROCYTES
• The erythrocytes have a remarkable capacity to change their
shape when they pass through the capillaries but they become
less deformable when they reach the end of their life span.
• Two types of destruction of erythrocytes takes place,
INTRAVASCULAR HEMOLYSIS
• About 10% of aged RBCs undergo intravascular
hemolysis within the capillaries due to loss of
compressibility of RBCs caused by increased membrane
permeability and osmotic change.
• When this occurs the hemoglobin is released, which
combine with haptoglobulin which is removed by the
cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS).
EXTRAVASCULAR HEMOLYSIS
• About 90% of the aged RBCs are directly destroyed by
the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS).
conjugation
Iron –Absorption, storage and use
Haemopoiesis
Erythropoiesis
Erythropoiesis : Formation, development and
maturation of RBC
Site(s) of erythropoiesis
Fetal Stage
Early – Yolk Sac
Mid – Liver and Spleen
Late fetal and child – Bone marrow (all bones)
Adult – Bone marrow (membranous bones)
E.g.: Vertebrae, Sternum, Ribs, and Ilium.
Developmental stages
PHSC (Pluripotential hematopoietic stem cell)
CFU-E (Colony-forming unit–erythrocyte)
Proerythroblast/Rubriblast
Large size =20µ Large nucleus
One or two nucleoli Hb synthesis begins
prorubricyte/Basophilic erythroblast/ Early normoblast
Little smaller =15µ Chromatin condensation
Nucleoli disappear Basic cytoplasm
Rubricyte/Polychromatophil erythroblast/ Intermediate normoblast
10-12µ Chromatin condensation
Hb appear Basic cytoplasm
Meta-rubricyte/Orthochromatophil erythroblast/ Late normoblast
8-10µ Nucleus very small (Pycnotic)
Quantity of Hb increase Acidophilic cytoplasm
Reticulocyte
Immature RBC Cytoplasm- reticulum network- by
remnant of disintegrated organelles
Erythrocyte.
Main features
Reduction in size of cell and nucleus
Pyknosis and finally extrusion of nucleus
Syntheis and increase in amount of hemoglobin
Finally RBC pass from the bone marrow into the blood capillaries by
Diapedesis
Total duration : 6-7 days
Regulation of erythropoiesis/Factors affecting
Erythropoiesis
1. General Factors-
Erythropoietin
(Hormone by peritubular cappilaries of Kidney 90%)
Liver 10%
Stimulus- Hypoxia
Action: increase production of Proerythroblast to CFU-E
Increase Passage rate of other stages,
Release of mature RBC to blood
Thyroxin
Haemopoetic growth factors
IL-3, IL-6,IL-11
Vitamins- Vit B, C, D, E
2. Maturation Factors
Vitamin B12 and Follic acid- for DNA, RNA synthesis and maturation
Absence(defeciency)eof these factor- Large size cell- Megaloblast
3. Factors necessary for Hb formation
First class proteins, Iron, Copper, Vitamin C, Riboflavin
ABNORMALITIES OF RBC CONCENTRATION
POLYCYTHEMIA
It is otherwise known as erythrocytosis. It is a condition of increased number of RBCs in
the circulation. It is of two types
Physiological (secondary) polycythemia
•An increase in RBCs occurs as a compensatory measure (in high altitude of 14000 to
17000 feet to compensate low PO2)
Hypoxia induces Erythropoietin production which in turn increase RBC production
•Increased environmental stress / temperature, the spleenic contraction, and increased
RBC synthesis by the bone marrow cause increased number of RBCs into the circulation.
•Hemoconcentration due to water loss that occurs in vomiting, diarrhoea, prolonged high fever and
burns also causes polycythemia.
•Pathological polycythemia
•Due to decreased O2 supply to the tissue, chronic carbon monoxide poisoning, myeloid
(bone marrow) cancer, pulmonary emphysema, repeated hemorrhage.
OLIGOCYTHEMIA
Reduction in the number of erythrocytes in the circulation is called as oligocythemia
Physiological oligocythemia occurs due to hemodilution; RBC number per unit
volume is reduced. Example: pregnancy.
Pathological oligocythemia is also known as anaemia.
ERYTHROCYTIC INDICES
• These indices help in the diagnosis various types of
anemia (microcytic vs. macrocytic or normocytic).
• Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): in Famtolitre (fl) 10-15
– It expresses the average cell size of the erythrocyte.
PCV×10/ RBC count
Eg. PCV 42 % and RBC count 7 million/ul
MCV = 42×10/7= 60 fl
• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH):
It gives the average weight of Hb present in the erythrocytes.
• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC):
– It is the average percentage of the mean corpuscular volume
that the Hb occupies.
NORMAL RANGE OF ERYTHROCYTE INDICES IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS
Species MCV (fl) MCHC (%) MCH (pg)
Dog 60-77 (70) 32-36 (34) 20-24
Cat 39-55 (45) 30-36 (33) 13-17
Cow 40-60 (52) 30-36 (33) 19
Sheep 23-48 (33) 31-38 (33) 10-14
Goat 15-30 (23) 35-42 (38) 8
Horse 34-58 (46) 31-37 (35) 18
Pig 50-68 (63) 30-34 (32) 16-20
ANEMIA
Abnormal reduction in the number of the erythrocytes or the hemoglobin content in the
blood or both.
Classification of Anemia
A. Morphological classification B. Etiological Classification
Morphological Classification
-depends up on size (MCV) and color (MCHC) of RBC
1. Normocytic Normochromic anemia
size (MCV) and color (MCHC) of RBC are normal but number of RBC is less
2. Macrocytic Normochromic anemia
Large RBC and less number
3. Macrocytic hypochromic anemia
Large RBS, Less Hb so MCHC is less
4. Microcytic Hypochromic anemia
Small RBC with less Hb
Etiolological Classification
On the basis of etiology (study of cause or origin) anemia is divided in to following types