Skip to main content
erythrocyte

erythrocyte

2 8.1
A red blood cell that carries oxygen to body tissues
  • noun
  • /ɪˈrɪθrəˌsaɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : eritrocito
  • The erythrocytes in your blood help to transport oxygen to your organs.
  • erythrocyte sedimentation
  • erythrocyte sedimentation rate
  • erythrocyte count

Examples

  • Premature release of oxygen from erythrocytes causes inactivation of plasma components, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and generalized hypoxia.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The main factor of anemia in sepsis is increased destruction of erythrocytes by infection.

    Academic text (2017)
  • In arterial blood, bacteria are attracted by the electric charge of erythrocytes and killed by released oxygen.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Revealing living bacteria in erythrocytes shows that sepsis is developing to more advanced stages.

    Academic text (2017)
  • In the bloodstream, bacteria are attracted and fixed on the surface of erythrocytes by electrical charge interaction force.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The interaction of the charges at the surface of erythrocytes stimulates the release of oxygen from oxyhemoglobin.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The disease is associated with an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocytosis, neutrophilia, and anemia.

    Academic text (1998)
  • High concentration of antibacterial drugs in erythrocytes is indispensable for infection elimination.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Antibiotics and immune complexes cannot kill bacteria inside erythrocytes, and the infection becomes persistent and uncontrollable.

    Academic text (2017)
  • In patient 8, examination of CSF showed erythrocytes and bilirubin, signs of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

red blood cell
vserythrocyte
  • Specialized
16 3.1

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

is the more scientific term used in technical and medical contexts
RBC
vserythrocyte
  • Specialized
2 3.7

A blood cell that carries oxygen to body tissues

is the full technical term rather than the brief abbreviation

Compounds

The speed at which red blood cells fall to the bottom of a test tube, showing inflammation

How Mature

erythrocyte
  • Specialized
2 8.1
reticulocyte
  • Specialized
9.9
erythroblast
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Surface Forms

erythrocyte singular
erythrocytes plural

Morphology

erythrocyte = erythro + cyte

Built from Greek scientific combining forms ('erythro-' = red, '-cyte' = cell) that are not recognizable to an average B1 learner, so the meaning is not derivable from familiar English base words.

Etymology

Erythrocyte comes from Greek parts erythro- meaning 'red' and -cyte meaning 'cell'. So an erythrocyte is literally a 'red cell', which explains why it means the red blood cell that carries oxygen around the body.