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Blood
How Red Blood Cells Are Recycled
Description
Red blood cells, or erythrocytes, are constantly moving through tiny blood capillaries. This movement creates friction that wears down the plasma membrane. Over about 100 to 120 days, the cells become rigid and fragile.
Old erythrocytes often get trapped as they pass through small vessels in the ...
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Transcript
The circulating erythrocytes frequently squeeze through blood capillaries, damaging their plasma membrane due to constant friction.
After about 100 to 120 days, erythrocytes wear out, becoming rigid and fragile. They get trapped and fragment while passing through the small vessels in the spleen and liver.
Here, the resident phagocy...
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