Red+Blood+Cells+-+BB

=Introduction= Your running in a marathon. You stop to take a deep breath. You breath in and feel the oxygen enter your body and give you energy. This oxygen enters your blood, and that’s when you react, and spark up with energy; instantly, back to work. Hemoglobin. What carries the oxygen, is one feature of the Red Blood cell. Some athletes very well know the process of creating energy, blood doping. toc =Function of Red Blood Cells= The function of the Red Blood Cell is to circulate oxygen and nutrients throughout the human body. To start this process, the Red Blood Cell, also known as the erythrocytes, starts moving through the blood vessels, inside of a fluid called plasma. This helps the cells move. Next, the Red blood cell starts carrying oxygen to other cells inside of the body. Hemoglobin, keeps the oxygen attached to the Red Blood Cell. (The Circulatory Story) Before the cell can drop off oxygen, this cell needs to travel through the capillary wall, in order to enter the cell. As this cell is dropping off oxygen to the cell, the Red Blood Cell needs to pick up the carbon dioxide from the cells, as it is dropping oxygen off. This is a never ending process that repeats over and over again. There many special parts/features that help the red blood cell to function.



This is a diagram that shows how the Red Blood Cell functions through the body.

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=Special Parts/Features that help Red Blood Cells do Their Jobs=

There are many different special features inside of a Red Blood cell that helps the cell function. Such as, hemoglobin which is made up of a protein, that helps carry oxygen throughout the body. (The Circulatory Story). Another feature special to the RBC, is that it has a flexible membrane. In other words, it creates more space for RBC to pass through the capillary walls, (Veins) to enter into the cells. One feature that is positive and negative towards the cell, is the fact that it has no Nucleus. This cell also creates space for the cells but instead, is to make space for bone marrow. However, these cells cannot heal themselves. For example, when you get a cut, it self heals. If it didn’t heal, it could lead to serious injury such as bleeding out.

This is a diagram of a hemoglobin molecule, and what it does inside of the RBC. Hemoglobin is one special part of the Red Blood cell. __ [] __

=Blood Doping=

Blood doping is used by athletes to increase the amount of oxygen that travels into your Red Blood cells. Blood doping is when you inject synthetic blood and like I said before, it increases the amount of oxygen to enter your blood. You may be thinking so, why would this help, and the reason is because, with more oxygen in your blood, it gets rid of fatigue and also increases the amount of time your muscles can exercise. (AKA stamina) Blood doping is used by athletes, but to be more specific, cycling and track and field. One popular well known cyclist named Lance Armstrong, has been caught blood doping several times throughout his cyclist career.

=Conclusion=

In conclusion, the Red Blood cell has an important function in the body, the Red blood cell has many special parts/features that make up the cell, such as the fact that it has no nucleus, and what Blood Doping is, and what it has to do with a Red Blood Cell. After all, the Red Blood cell is one of the most important things that is used and needed in our bodies daily. The importance of the Red Blood cell is unbelievable. What would we do or what would happen if we didn’t have Red Blood Cells?

=References=

Works Cited Bryner, Jeanna. “What Is Blood Doping?” Live Science, www.livescience.com/32388-what-is-blood-doping-html. Corcoran, Mary K., and Jef Czekaj. The Circulatory Story. Watertown, Charlesbridge, 2010. ---. The Circulatory Story. Watertown, Charlesbridge, 2010. Cronkite, Donald L., and Thomas R. Wellnitz. Cells and Heredity. Boston, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. “Erythrotypes.” Biological Sciences Santa Barbara City College, biosbcc.net.

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