FUNCTIONS OF RBC :
1. Transport of gases: carriage of O2 and co2 is the most important function of RBC oxygen carriage by Hb is called oxygenation it is the only method for o2 transport from the lungs to tissue cells it is a loose reversible combination of o2 which is not oxidation continuous oxygenation of trillions of body cells like this is a vital process of life without o2 we cannot live for more than a few minutes co2 is partly carried as carbamino compound in RBC and discharged into the lungs which exhale co2 as a waste product in gaseous form the co2 dissolved in plasma is also exchaled by the lungs
2. Ionic balance: RBC cell wall is selectively permeable to ions on either side it thus aids to maintain balance between various anions (-) and cations (+) in the blood
3. Acid base Equity: Hb contained in the RBC plays an important role as buffer its proteins and potassium salts help the acid base balancing process in the blood
4. viscosity maintenance : RBC aids to keep up viscosity of blood
5. pigments as by products : RBC disintegration results in the formation of pigments like bilirubin biliverdin etc
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