Learning Objectives

After attending this lecture the student should be

able to

1. Describe the characteristics and functions of Red Blood

Cells

2. Know the mechanism of production of Erythropoietin

3. Know the functions of Erythropoietin

4. Delineate the regulation of RBCs production

 ERYTHROCYTES
Are biconcave discs

Non nucleated

Mean diameter – 7.8 μm

Thickness – 2.5 μm at thickest point

– 1 μm in the center

Volume – 90 to 95 μm3
ERYTHROCYTES
 ERYTHROCYTES

The shape of RBCs can change markedly

as they squeeze through the capillaries
 ERYTHROCYTES
Concentration

 4.8 to 5.2 million / cmm of blood

 About 25 trillion in average adult male

 Number is more
in men
In persons living at high altitude
 ERYTHROCYTES

Contain Hemoglobin
Areas of the body that produce RBCs
 Early few weeks of pregnancy  in yolk sac

 Middle trimaster of gestation  Liver

 Spleen
 Lymph nodes

 Last month of gestation and  Bone marrow of all bones

after birth uptil 5 years

 5 – 20 years  Ends of long bones (proximal

ends of Tibia and Humerus)

 Membranous bones (vertebrae,

 After 20 years
sternum, ribs, ilia)
 ERYTHROCYTES
Quantity of Hemoglobin in the Cells

 Maximum 34 gm / 100 ml of cells

 ERYTHROCYTES
Concentration of Hemoglobin in the
Blood

 In men – 15 gms / 100 ml

 In women –14 gms / 100 ml
 ERYTHROCYTES
Each gram of hemoglobin can combine
with 1.34 ml of oxygen

Maximum carriage of oxygen in

combination with Hb in each 100 ml of
blood
– In normal man – 20 ml
– In normal woman – 19 ml
Functions of Red Blood Cells
Transport of Oxygen
Transport of CO2
Buffer action
Gives viscosity to blood
Regulation of RBCs Production
Decreased Tissue Oxygenation
 Anemia
 Bone marrow destruction – Radiotherapy
– Drugs
 High altitude
 Diseases – Cardiac diseases
– Lung diseases
Regulation of RBCs Production
Erythropoietin
Is secreted from
Kidneys
Fibroblast-like interstitial cells surrounding the
tubules in the cortex and outer medulla,
 Renal epithelial cells
 Liver

Stimulus is hypoxia
Regulation of RBCs Production
Erythropoietin

Glycoprotein hormone

molecular weight – 34,000

 Regulation of RBCs Production
Renal tissue hypoxia Hypoxia-inducible factor–1 (HIF-1)

HIF-1 Erythropoietin gene

- Hypoxia response element

Transcription of messenger RNA

Increased erythropoietin synthesis

Regulation of RBCs Production
Hypoxia in other parts of the body, but
not in the kidneys also stimulates
kidney erythropoietin secretion

 Norepinephrine, Epinephrine and many

prostaglandins stimulate erythropoietin
production.
Regulation of RBCs Production
When kidneys are not functioning
properly, the erythropoietin formed in
other tissues (mainly in the liver) can
lead to the formation of only one third
to half the RBCs needed by the body.
Regulation of RBCs Production
In Hypoxic Conditions

Erythropoietin
 begins to be formed within minutes to hours
 reaches maximum production within 24 hours

New RBCs
 appear in the circulating blood about 5 days later
 Regulation of RBCs Production
Erythropoietin
stimulates the
production of
proerythroblasts
 Regulation of RBCs
Production
Erythropoietin
stimulates the production of
proerythroblasts
 Regulation of RBCs
Production
Erythropoietin
stimulates the production of
proerythroblasts
causes these cells to pass more
rapidly through the different
erythroblastic stages
 Regulation of RBCs
Production
Erythropoietin
stimulates the production of
proerythroblasts
causes these cells to pass more
rapidly through the different
erythroblastic stages
can increase RBC production to
perhaps 10 or more times
normal
Regulation of RBCs
Production