Erythrocytes - Biochemistry Flashcards
What is the lifespan of red blood cells?
120 days
What are the globular haemoglobin proteins broken down into in the process of destroying old red blood cells?
Amino Acids which then enter the blood stream
What organ produces EPO?
Kidney
Name the precursor cells for erythrocytes in order of maturation.
Proerythroblast Polychromatic erythroblast Orthochromatic erythrblast Reticulocyte Mature erythrocyte
What does a reticulocyte contain?
Residual ribosomal RNA
How do RBCs synthesise ATP?
Glycolysis. This is the only route as there is no mitochondria red blood cells are unable to undergo aerobic respiration.
What two important substances are made through the hexose monophosphate shunt?
Glucosw
NADPH
What substance helps keep iron in RBCs in Fe2+ state? How is this produced?
NADH
Glycolysis
What is NADPH important for in red blood cells?
Maintaining adequate levels of glutathione
What three peptides make up glutathione?
Glutamate
Cysteine
Glycine
Which substance is vital to combat oxidative stress in red blood cells?
Reduced glutathione
What does reduced glutathione do?
Combats oxidative stress (due to the effect of free radicals) in RBCs
Which substance is the primary intermediate in oxidative damage and what substance detoxifies this is RBCs?
Hydrogen peroxide
Detoxified by reduced glutathione
What condition causes a lack of reduced glutathione in RBCs?
Glucose 6 phosphate deficiency
What are the three forms in which C02 is carried to lungs?
- Physically dissolved in solution (10%)
- Bound to Haemaglobin - Carbamino Haemoglobin (30%)
- Bicarbonate ion HC03(60%)
