RED BLOOD CELL LIFE CYCLE

DIETARY IRON

Kidney

LOW OXYGEN

Erythropoietin

Spleen

Old RBCs

Recylced Heme from destroyed RBCs

IRON

Bone Marrow

Sternum, Pelvis, Vertebrae

Pluripoint stem cells

Proerythroblasts

Multiple divisions

accumulates Hemoglobin

Nucleus lost

Loses mitochondria and ribosomes

Reticulocytes released into circulatory system

Mature Red Blood Cells

Liver

Iron stored as Ferritin

heme converted to bilirubin

Lungs

Oxygenated RBCs

Arterial System

Body Cells

Heart

Brenda Mitchell

Stomach

Intrinsic factor

Small Intestine

iron + Apotransferrin

=Transferrin