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AAT Bioquest

What are red blood cells made of?

Posted November 20, 2023


Answer

Red blood cells are made up of two components – cell membrane and cytoplasm. 

The cell membrane is a bilayer composed of protein and lipid. 

The cytoplasm is rich in hemoglobin, a protein that gives red blood cells their bright red color. The hemoglobin also enables the red blood cell to transport oxygen from the lungs to all the peripheral tissues in the body.   

Additional resources

Histology, Red Blood Cell

Cellular Processes

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