Oxygen Carriers: The Mighty Red Blood Cell

Visible only through microscopy, the red blood cell is a small, disk-like structure that is both flexible and durable. With a lifespan of approximately 120 days, its primary function is to transport oxygen throughout the body via the arteries, which are tube-like structures carrying blood with all its components to every cell in the body. Born and matured in the bone marrow, the red blood cell is akin to a shell filled with its most crucial protein, hemoglobin. Hemoglobin, a protein containing iron, binds and carries oxygen. Moreover, it plays a critical role in maintaining the body’s pH balance. Without its oxygen-carrying function, the body would be unable to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule responsible for powering every movement and process. The absence of ATP is recognized after death as rigor mortis. <a href="https://medium.com/long-sweet-valuable/oxygen-carriers-the-mighty-red-blood-cell-79c91ab7183f">Click Here</a>