red blood cell
noun
variants:
or less commonly red blood corpuscle
or red cell
or red corpuscle
Definition of red blood cell
: any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and in mammals are typically biconcave disks which lack a nucleus and cellular organelles and are formed from nucleated cells of the red bone marrow
Note: The number of red blood cells ranges from four to six million in each cubic millimeter of normal human blood. The red color of blood is due to the presence of hemoglobin within the red blood cells.
— called also erythrocyte
— compare white blood cellExamples of red blood cell in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Women may also experience dizziness during their periods due to anemia, a condition in which the body doesn't produce enough red blood cells to adequately distribute oxygen throughout the body. — Sophia Caraballo, Woman's Day, "Here's Why You Might Experience Dizziness During Your Period — and Why You Shouldn't Ignore It," 16 Aug. 2019 However, since the genes for adult hemoglobin don’t produce healthy red blood cells in people with beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease, one treatment strategy is to introduce genetic changes that turn on fetal hemoglobin again. — Time, "CRISPR Gene Editing Is Being Tested in Human Patients, and the Results Could Revolutionize Health Care," 6 Aug. 2019 In Tibetans, the changes involve at least two genes, EPAS1 and EGLN1, which suppress the body’s normal production of extra red blood cells in response to low oxygen. — Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, "The World Is Our Niche," 3 June 2019 This genetic mutation, which turns round red blood cells into a crescent (or sickle) shape, first affected farmers on the Niger River delta nearly 8,000 years ago as a defense against mosquitoes. — Katie Wudel, Los Angeles Times, "Review: The mosquito isn’t just annoying — Timothy C. Winegard says we’re at war," 9 Aug. 2019 Some species, like Siphonops paulensis of Central and South America, have glands in their skin that secrete toxins that can damage red blood cells in some animals. — Jason Bittel, National Geographic, "Caecilians," 27 June 2019 During the platelet donation procedure, a machine is used to separate the platelets in your blood from the other red blood cells and white blood cells through a process called apheresis. — NBC News, "Here's what you need to know about donating blood," 14 June 2019 To race up those mountains as a rider is to feel your lungs compress and your red blood cells leak oxygen and the lactic acid in your legs swell. — Michael Powell, New York Times, "Cycling Embraces Risk, Reward and the Super Tuck," 23 July 2019 Of course, the internet had its own comparisons to Cardi's Camp-themed Met Gala look including a duvet cover and red blood cells. — Lauren Alexis Fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Cardi B's Massive Met Gala Gown Needed Its Own 10-Person Entourage," 7 May 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'red blood cell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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