The place of formation of erythrocytes. Structure of erythrocytes

In various situations, when making certain diagnoses, doctors often strongly recommend that we take a blood test. It is very informative and allows us to evaluate the protective properties of our body for a particular ailment. There are a lot of indicators in it, one of them is the volume of red blood cells. Many of you probably never thought about it. But in vain. After all, everything is thought out by nature to the last detail. This is also the case with red blood cells. Let's look at this in more detail.

What are red blood cells?

Blood cells, erythrocytes, play an important role in the human body. Their main task is to supply oxygen, which comes from breathing to all the tissues and organs of our body. The carbon dioxide that is formed in this situation must be urgently removed from the body, and here the red blood cell is the main assistant. By the way, these blood cells also enrich our body with nutrients. The composition of red blood cells includes a red pigment known to everyone under the name hemoglobin. It is he who is able to bind oxygen in the lungs for its more convenient excretion, and in tissues - to release. Of course, like any other indicator in the human body, the number of red blood cells can decrease or increase. And there are reasons for this:

• The increase in the number of blood cells in the blood indicates a serious dehydration of the body or chronic leukemia (erythremia);
• A decrease in this indicator will speak of anemia (this is not a disease, but such a state of blood can contribute to the development of a large number of other diseases);
• By the way, strangely enough, red blood cells are often detected in the urine of patients who complain of problems with the urinary system (bladder, kidneys, etc.).

Very interesting fact: the size of the erythrocyte can sometimes vary considerably, it is due to the elasticity of these cells. For example, the diameter of the capillary, along which a red blood cell of 8 μm can pass, is only 2-3 μm.

Functions of red blood cells

It would seem that it might be useful to make a small red blood cell in such a large human body. But the size of the erythrocyte does not matter here. It is important that these cells perform vital functions:

• Protect the body from toxins: bind them for later excretion. This is due to the presence of protein substances on the surface of erythrocytes.
• Transfer enzymes, called in the medical literature specific protein catalysts, to cells and tissues.
• Due to them the person breathes. This is due to the content in the erythrocyte of hemoglobin (it is able to attach and give oxygen, as well as carbon dioxide).
• Erythrocytes nourish the body through amino acids, which they easily transport from the digestive tract to cells and tissues.

The place of formation of erythrocytes

It is important to know where the red blood cells form, so that in case of problems with their concentration in the blood to manage in time to take action. The very process of creating them is complicated. The place of formation of erythrocytes is bone marrow, spine and ribs. Let's consider in more detail the first of them: first the brain tissue grows due to cell division. Later, from cells that are responsible for the creation of the entire circulatory system of man, one large red body is formed, which has a nucleus and hemoglobin. It directly produces the precursor of the red blood corpuscle (reticulocyte), which, getting into the blood, transforms into an erythrocyte 2-3 hours later.

Structure of the red blood cell

Since in the red blood cells there is a large amount of hemoglobin, this causes their bright red color. In this case, the cell has a biconcave shape. The structure of erythrocytes of immature cells provides for the presence of a nucleus, which can not be said about the finally formed corpuscle. The erythrocyte diameter is 7-8 μm, and the thickness is less than 2-2.5 μm. The fact that there is no nucleus in mature red blood cells allows oxygen to penetrate them faster. The total number of red blood cells in the human blood is very high. If they are combined in one line, then its length will be about 150 thousand km. Various terms are used for erythrocytes, characterizing deviations in their size, color and other characteristics:

• Normocytosis - normal mean size;
• Microcytosis - the size is less than normal;
• Macrocytosis - size greater than normal;
• Anitocytosis - the size of the cells varies considerably, ie, some of them are too large, others too small;
• Hypochromia - when the amount of hemoglobin in erythrocytes is less than normal;
• Poikilocytosis - the shape of cells is significantly changed, some of them oval, others - sickle-shaped;
• Normochromia - the amount of hemoglobin in the cells is normal, and therefore they are colored correctly.

How the erythrocyte lives

From the above, we have already found out that the place of formation of erythrocytes is the bone marrow of the skull, the ribs and the spine. But if you get into the blood, are these cells long there? The scientists found out that the life of the red blood cell is rather short - on average about 120 days (4 months). By this time, he begins to grow old for two reasons. It is the metabolism (decomposition) of glucose and an increase in the content of fatty acids in it. Erythrocyte begins to lose the energy and elasticity of the membrane, because of this, there are numerous outgrowths on it. Most often, erythrocytes are destroyed in blood vessels or in some organs (liver, spleen, bone marrow). The compounds formed as a result of the breakdown of red blood cells are easily removed from the human body with urine and feces.

Red blood cell count: tests to identify their levels

In principle, in medicine, there are only two types of research, due to which red blood cells are revealed: blood and urine tests. The latter of them shows less often the presence of red bodies, and often this is due to the presence of some kind of pathology. But human blood always contains red blood cells, and it is important to know the norms of this indicator. Distribution of erythrocytes in the blood of an absolutely healthy person evenly, and their content is large enough. That is, if there was an opportunity to calculate all their number from him, we would get a huge figure that does not carry any information. Therefore, in the course of laboratory studies it is accepted to use the following method: to count red blood cells in a certain volume (1 cubic millimeter of blood). By the way, such a value will allow to correctly assess the level of red blood cells and identify existing pathologies or health problems. It is also important that the patient's place of residence, his sex and age exerts a special influence on him.

Standards of red blood cells in the blood

In a healthy person, there are rarely any deviations in this indicator throughout life. So, there are following its norms for children:

• The first 24 hours of a baby's life - 4.3-7.6 million / 1 cubic. Mm blood;
• The first month of life - 3.8-5.6 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood;
• The first 6 months of the child's life - 3.5-4.8 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood;
• During the first year of life - 3,6-4,9 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood;
• 1 year - 12 years - 3,5-4,7 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood;
• After 13 years - 3.6-5.1 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood.

A large number of erythrocytes in the baby's blood is easy to explain. When he is in the womb of his mother, the formation of red blood cells goes to him in an accelerated mode, because only so all his cells and tissues can get the right amount of oxygen and nutrients for their growth and development. When the baby is born, the red blood cells begin to disintegrate, and their concentration in the blood decreases (if this process is too fast, the baby has jaundice).

Norms of red blood cells in adults:

• Men: 4,5-5,5 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood.
• Women: 3.7-4.7 million / 1 cubic meter. Mm blood.
• Older people: less than 4 million / 1 cubic. Mm blood.

Of course, the deviation from the norm may be associated with any problem in the human body, but here it is necessarily necessary to consult a specialist.

Erythrocytes in urine - can such a situation arise?

Yes, the doctors answer is unequivocally positive. Of course, in rare cases this can be due to the fact that a person wore a heavy load or was in a vertical position for a long time. But often the increased concentration of erythrocytes in the urine indicates the presence of problems and requires the advice of a competent specialist. Remember some of its norms in this substance:

• The normal value should be 0-2 pcs. in sight;
• When a urinalysis is performed by the Nechiporenko method, red blood cells can be more than a thousand pieces in the field of view of the laboratory assistant;

The doctor, if the patient has such urine tests, will look for a specific reason for the appearance of red blood cells in it, allowing the following options:

• If we are talking about children, then pyelonephritis, cystitis, glomerulonephritis are considered;
• Urethritis (while taking into account the presence of other symptoms: pain in the abdomen, painful urination, fever);
• Urolithiasis: the patient concurrently complains about the admixture of blood in the urine and attacks of renal colic;
• Glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis (the waist hurts and the temperature rises);
• Kidney tumors;
• prostate adenoma.

Change in the number of erythrocytes in the blood: causes

The structure of erythrocytes presupposes the presence in them of a large amount of hemoglobin, and hence a substance capable of attaching oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. Therefore deviations from the norm, which characterizes the number of red blood cells in the blood, can be dangerous for your health. Increase in the level of erythrocytes in the blood in humans (erythrocytosis) is not observed often and can be associated with some simple reasons: stress, excessive physical exertion, dehydration of the body or living in a mountainous area. But if this is not the case, pay attention to the following diseases that cause an increase in this indicator:

• Blood problems, including erythremia. Usually a person at the same time has a red coloring of the skin of the neck, face.
• Development of pathologies in the lungs and cardiovascular system.

Reducing the number of red blood cells, called in medicine erythropenia, can also be caused by several reasons. First of all, it is anemia, or anemia. It can be associated with a violation of the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. When a person loses a certain amount of blood or red blood cells break down too quickly in his blood, this situation also arises. Often, doctors put patients diagnosed as "iron deficiency anemia." Iron simply can not act in sufficient quantities in the human body or it is difficult for them to digest. Most often, to correct the situation, specialists prescribe vitamin B ₁₂ and folic acid along with iron-containing preparations for patients.

ESR index: what it means

Often, the doctor, after accepting a patient who complains of any colds (which do not pass for a long time), appoints him to give a general analysis in the blood. In it, often on the very last line you will see an interesting indicator of blood erythrocytes, characterizing the rate of their subsidence (ESR). How in the laboratory can you conduct such a study? Very easily: the patient's blood is placed in a thin glass tube and left in a vertical position for a while. Erythrocytes necessarily settle on the bottom, leaving a clear plasma in the upper layer of blood. The unit of measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate is mm / hr. This indicator can vary depending on gender and age, for example:

• Children: 1-month-old children - 4-8 mm / hour; 6-month - 4-10 mm / hour; 1 year-12 years - 4-12 mm / hour;
• Men: 1-10 mm / hour;
• Women: 2-15 mm / hour; Pregnant women of the fair sex - 45 mm / h.

How informative is the data indicator? Of course, recently doctors have begun to pay less attention to him. It is believed that there are many errors in it, which can be related, for example in children, with an excited state (crying, crying) during the taking of blood. But in general, the increased rate of erythrocyte sedimentation is the result of the inflammatory process developing in your body (say, bronchitis, pneumonia, any other cold or infectious disease). Also, the growth of ESR is observed during pregnancy, menstruation, a person's chronic pathologies or diseases, as well as injuries, stroke, heart attack, etc. Undoubtedly, the reduction of ESR is much less frequent and already indicates the presence of more serious problems: it is leukemia, hepatitis, hyperbilirubinemia and others.

As we found out, the place of formation of erythrocytes is the bone marrow, ribs and spine. Therefore, in the presence of problems with the number of red blood cells in the blood, you must first pay attention to the first of them. Everyone needs to clearly understand that all the indicators in the tests that we take out are very important for our body, and it is better not to treat them negligently. Therefore, if you have completed this research, please contact a competent specialist to decrypt it. This does not mean that at the slightest deviation from the norm in the analysis, one must immediately panic. Just bring it to the end, especially when it comes to your health.