🩸Red blood cells have a lifespan of about 100 to 120 days.
💪Proteins like spectrin and anchorin maintain the pliability of red blood cells.
🔁The breakdown of hemoglobin in old red blood cells yields amino acids and heme, which can be recycled.
🟨Bilirubin, a breakdown product of heme, is conjugated in the liver and excreted in bile.
🌡️Understanding the structure and lifespan of red blood cells helps diagnose blood disorders and diseases.
How long do red blood cells live?
—Red blood cells have a lifespan of about 100 to 120 days.
What role do proteins like spectrin and anchorin play in red blood cells?
—Proteins like spectrin and anchorin maintain the pliability of red blood cells, allowing them to deform and traverse narrow capillaries.
What happens to old red blood cells?
—As red blood cells age, proteins like spectrin and anchorin degrade, resulting in rigid cells that are more prone to destruction.
What are the breakdown products of hemoglobin in old red blood cells?
—The breakdown of hemoglobin yields components such as amino acids and heme, which can be recycled.
What happens to bilirubin in the body?
—Bilirubin, a breakdown product of heme, is conjugated in the liver and excreted in bile, giving urine its yellow color.
00:07Red blood cells have a lifespan of about 100 to 120 days.
01:09Proteins like spectrin and anchorin maintain the pliability of red blood cells.
04:09The breakdown of hemoglobin in old red blood cells yields amino acids and heme, which can be recycled.
05:52Bilirubin, a breakdown product of heme, is conjugated in the liver and excreted in bile.
10:23Understanding the structure and lifespan of red blood cells helps diagnose blood disorders and diseases.
