TY  - CHAP
M1  - Book, Section
TI  - Erythrocytes and Leukocytes
A1  - Hall, Stanley M.
A1  - McDonough, Kathleen H.
A2  - Levitzky, Michael
A2  - McDonough, Kathleen
A2  - Kaye, Alan David
A2  - Hall, Stanley
Y1  - 2021
N1  - 
T2  - Clinical Physiology in Anesthetic Practice
AB  - As  stated  previously,  the  erythrocytes  or  red  blood  cells  are  the  most  abundant  cells  in  the  plasma.  They  are  biconcave  disks  that  average  about  7  μm  in  diameter  and  about  2  μm  at  their  thickest  part.  They  have  a  high  surface  area  to  volume  ratio,  which  aids  in  the  diffusion  of  oxygen  and  carbon  dioxide  into  and  out  of  the  cells.  Erythrocytes  are  deformable,  which  allows  them  to  change  shape  as  they  pass  through  the  small  capillaries.  The  average  life  span  of  erythrocytes  in  the  body  is  120  days  and  they  are  removed  by  the  spleen  and  liver.  Banked  blood  can  be  kept  for  only  about  30  to  45  days  depending  on  the  preservative.  Hemoglobin,  a  conjugated  protein  with  a  molecular  weight  of  about  64,500  daltons,  is  the  major  component  of  the  erythrocytes.  In  addition  to  transporting  oxygen,  hemoglobin  plays  an  important  role  in  carbon  dioxide  transport  and  hydrogen-ion  buffering.  Although  erythrocytes  lack  a  nucleus  and  many  organelles,  they  are  able  to  metabolize  nutrients  such  as  glucose  by  glycolysis.  In  adults,  erythrocytes,  as  well  as  leukocytes  and  platelets,  are  produced  by  the  bone  marrow  whereas  in  the  fetus,  they  are  produced  by  the  liver  and  spleen.  The  lower  skull,  vertebrae,  shoulder  and  pelvic  girdles,  ribs,  and  sternum  and  epiphysis  of  the  humerus  and  femur  seem  to  be  the  main  sites  of  erythrocyte  synthesis  in  the  adult.  The  bone  marrow  is  a  large  and  very  metabolically  active  tissue.  Approximately  25%  of  the  marrow  is  dedicated  to  erythrocyte  synthesis.  The  remainder  produces  leukocytes.  The  difference  in  the  percent  dedicated  to  red  blood  cell  synthesis  versus  white  blood  cell  synthesis  probably  reflects  the  difference  in  life  span  of  the  cell  types  with  the  white  blood  cells  having  a  much  shorter  life  span.  
SN  - 
PB  - McGraw Hill
CY  - New York, NY
Y2  - 2024/04/19
UR  - accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1175534009
ER  -