Biochemistry Of The Red Blood Cell

The mature red cells consists primarily of hemoglobin (about 95% of the dry weight). The membrane is composed of lipids and proteins in addition, there are numerous enzymes present in the red cell which are necessary for oxygen transport and cell viability. The red cell derives its energy from the breakdown of glucose. About 90% of the glycolysis in the red cell follows the Embden-Meyerhof pathway. In this way, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is generated and used to control the follow of sodium and potassium into and out of the red cell, maintain the biconcave shape of the cell, and protect the membrane lipids. The remaining 10% of the glucose molecules will follow the hexose-monophosphate shunt, where reduced glutathione is made available to prevent oxidative denaturation of hemoglobin. The methemoglobin reductase pathway maintain the iron, present in the hemoglobin molecule, in a functional state (Fe++). Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), present in the early stages of the maturing red cell, are absent in the mature red blood cell.