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RBC

RBC

2 3.7
A blood cell that carries oxygen to body tissues
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : glóbulo rojo
  • In the human body, RBCs play a vital role in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
  • RBC transfusion
  • hemoglobin content of RBCs
  • RBC production

I want to call your attention to the next levels here, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit.

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Examples

  • Most patients with a major form of thalassemia receive RBC transfusions every 2 to 3 weeks.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Six hematological parameters were assessed: WBC, red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), platelets, neutrophils, and lymphocytes.

    Academic text (2006)
  • However, generation of RBCs in the large numbers required for transfusion remains a significant challenge.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Advances in current technologies mean that in vitro-expanded RBCs could also be applied in drug discovery.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Therefore, in the medium and long term, cultured RBCs may represent a means of satisfying clinical requirements.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Recent studies have described the production and detailed characterization of RBCs produced in laboratory cultures.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Current technologies are able to generate sufficient RBCs for their functional evaluation in vivo.

    Academic text (2013)
  • An in vitro technique for the generation of RBCs with extremely rare phenotypes would be a major asset.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Generating enough RBCs ex vivo for transfusion medicine probably represents the primary technical challenge.

    Academic text (2013)
  • With mild alpha thalassemia, the RBCs are smaller and a mild anemia may develop.

    Academic text (2003)

Synonyms

red blood cell
vsRBC
  • Specialized
16 3.1

A small round cell in the blood that carries oxygen to body tissues

is the shortened written form of that full name
erythrocyte
vsRBC
  • Specialized
2 8.1

A red blood cell that carries oxygen to body tissues

is the abbreviated form used instead of the scientific term

Surface Forms

RBC singular
RBCs plural

Morphology

RBC = R + B + C

RBC is an initialism (letters stand for 'red blood cell'); the individual letters are not productive English morphemes and do not allow a learner to derive the meaning from form alone.

Etymology

RBC is a short form of red blood cell, where red means 'the colour', blood means 'the body fluid', and cell means 'a small unit'. So RBC names the tiny red cells in the blood that carry oxygen to the body's tissues.