Suggest one advantage of red blood cells lacking a nucleus..?

[slothpomba]

We were having a practice "exam" the other day in bio class.

This question popped up.

I choked and couldnt think of much, so i wrote it would prevent viral infection of the red blood cell. (that's not even AOS 1...)

What would of you guys done?

Ps: Do you think my reason is valid or its total junk.

[fady_22]

More space for carrying haemoglobin?

[AzureBlue]

Since there is no nucleus, the cell can have a flatter shape - this creates a greater SA:V ratio so diffusion, transport of oxygen and substances is more efficient.

[lexitu]

Yep, they can also be carried through capillaries more easily due to their flat shape.

[shinny]

Yep, they can also be carried through capillaries more easily due to their flat shape.

Well I don't think it's even 'more easily'; a capillary has a smaller diameter than a RBC does. 5 and 7 micrometers respectively IIRC. I think the SA:V ratio is what you should be focusing on though given the theory covered in unit 3 Biology.

An indirect advantage is that it allows blood transfusions as well (limited by blood types still though).

[TrueLight]

yeah greater capacity to carry oxygen is probably best

i think viruses can still infect red blood cells, although it would be of no use since they cannot replicate

but things like...plasmodium can infect red blood cells and survive there since they cannot be detected by any T cells since they have no MHC expression

[slothpomba]

I dont remember talking about SAV this unit..

[AzureBlue]

I dont remember talking about SAV this unit..

We did talk about red blood cells and SAV - I'm in unit 1.

[slothpomba]

Yeah, i remember doing it in Unit 1.

It's just that it was a unit 3 AOS 1 exam, i was kind of looking for something more relevant to AOS 1 U3. Oh well..maybe that was the answer

[shinny]

I thought SA:V was in Unit 3? I recall frequently applying this principle. There was basically always a question on it somewhere in exams wasn't there?

[slothpomba]

I know you're expected to know lead on knowledge from unit 1 but i dont really remember anything about SAV being directly in unit 3, i got a bad memory though.

I'll take a quick flip through the text book.