Question

As a consequence of red blood cells' lack of nuclei and other organelles, they _____.

A) can carry more calcium
B) have more room to carry hemoglobin
C) contain less hemoglobin than they might otherwise be able to carry
D) have a small surface area

Answer 1

Red blood cells lack nuclei and other organelles, which provides more space for hemoglobin and thus enhances their oxygen-carrying capacity.

Step-by-step explanation:

As a consequence of red blood cells' lack of nuclei and other organelles, they have more room to carry hemoglobin. The erythrocytes (red blood cells) are biconcave disks, giving them the ability to contain about 250 million molecules of hemoglobin per cell. This capacity allows each red blood cell to transport approximately one billion molecules of oxygen.

Without nuclei and mitochondria, these cells do not use the oxygen for metabolic respiration, thereby being more efficient in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. In mammals, this anucleated state is distinct, as only mammalian erythrocytes lack a nucleus. This feature contrasts with some other animals, such as birds, whose red blood cells contain nuclei.