Definition

1. Noun:
   • A mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues; a biconcave disc that has no nucleus.

Usage

• The term red blood cell is used in medical, biological, and general scientific contexts to refer to the specific type of cell responsible for oxygen transport in vertebrates.
• It is a countable noun (e.g., a red blood cell, red blood cells).

Examples

• Noun:
  • A low count of red blood cells can indicate anemia.
  • The primary function of a red blood cell is to deliver oxygen to tissues.
  • Hemoglobin inside the red blood cell binds to oxygen molecules.

Advanced Usage

• "Red blood cell count": A common medical measurement of the number of red blood cells in a volume of blood.
  • The doctor ordered a test to check my red blood cell count.
• "Red blood cell production": Refers to the process of generating new red blood cells, known as erythropoiesis.
  • Iron is essential for red blood cell production.

Variants and Related Words

• Erythrocyte (n): The formal, technical synonym for a red blood cell.
  • Under the microscope, an erythrocyte appears as a biconcave disc.
• RBC (n): A common initialism for "red blood cell."
  • The lab report showed abnormal RBC levels.

Synonyms

• Erythrocyte: The direct scientific synonym.
• Red corpuscle: A less common, older term with the same meaning.

Related Phrases

• Red blood cell membrane: Refers to the outer layer of the cell.
  • Certain disorders affect the red blood cell membrane, causing it to rupture.
• Red blood cell transfusion: A medical procedure to transfer red blood cells from a donor to a recipient.
  • The patient required an emergency red blood cell transfusion.

Noun

1. a mature blood cell that contains hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the bodily tissues; a biconcave disc that has no nucleus