• Question: How do blood cells reproduce.

    Asked by to Andrei, Ekbal, Gemma, Helen, Ruth on 20 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Gemma Marsden

      Gemma Marsden answered on 20 Jun 2014:

      Hi pinkrosez666,
      Red blood cells don’t reproduce. They only survive for 120 days in our blood before they are broken down into parts that can be recycled by specialist white blood cells.
      Some white blood cells do not reproduce once in the blood stream but some still can. Those that recognise foreign invaders (such as bacteria) will divide rapidly to defend against infection.

    • Photo: Ekbal Hussain

      Ekbal Hussain answered on 20 Jun 2014:

      Hi!

      There are 3 main types of blood cells in your body. These are:
      1: Red Blood cells
      2: White blood cells
      3. Patelets

      Most blood cells are made inside the centre of your bone from a special kind of cell called a stem cell, these are very basic cells that can grow into many different kind of other cells, like blood cells.

      So blood cells don’t usually reproduce, they simply die out after a certain number of days and are replaced by brand new ones. Red blood cells usually live for 120 days, white cells for around 4 days and platelets for about 7 days before they die.

      But, as Gemma mentioned, there are some white cells that will very quickly reproduce to help fight invading bacteria.

      Hope that answers your question!
      Ekbal

    • Photo: Helen Gath

      Helen Gath answered on 20 Jun 2014:

      Hi,

      Thought that I would bring in the animal side of the question! Although human and animal blood is very similar, their blood cells contain nuclei (genetic material), which human red blood cells do not.

      Blood’s key role is to carry oxygen around the body, but there is one quite unusual exception, the Crocodile Icefish.
      http://biochemicalsoul.com/2009/03/adaptation-of-the-week-channichthyidae-ice-fish/
      It doesn’t have red blood cells or haemoglobin, it would probably freeze at such cold temperatures anyway. Instead, the Icefish get most of its oxygen by absorbing it directly from the very well oxygenated waters around it! How bizarre nature can be.

      Some animals have an entirely different blood system all together. Rather than the blood being restricted to certain channels or tubes (veins, arteries, capillaries), animals like insects have an OPEN CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. This means the blood mixes with other fluids in the body, and we cannot actually call it blood!

Comments