Research Paper on Cell

Cells are the building blocks of all living organisms ranging from microorganisms to animals, each cell conducts specific and complex functions that keep the human body functioning. The cell has several organelles, including the Golgi complex and mitochondria, although it is primarily composed of the cytoplasm, nucleus, and cell membrane.1 The cell is the smallest unit of life; cells with similar structures combine to form specialised tissue that plays an important part in the human body. Organs are formed by layers of tissues, and organs may work with other organs to form an organ system, such as the circulatory system. According to the abovementioned claim, an organism, such as humans, need the complex interaction of these specialised cells to sustain life. if the above claim is correct, then the erythrocyte; a specialised biological component of blood, often known as a red blood cell, is vital to the human body.

The Red Blood Cell is in charge of carrying oxygen and vitamins throughout the body through a process known as circulation. Red blood cells have a biconcave, anucleate structure as seen in figure 12, unlike other cells, red blood cells have no organelles other than a 60 to 70 nm thin cell membrane made entirely of fats and lipids. There are no organelles in the red blood cell, thus there is ample room for haemoglobin, furthermore, the thin cell membrane allows gases to pass into and out of the red blood cell. Haemoglobin is an iron-containing protein found in the blood of many animals, namely in vertebrates, Haemoglobin, like other cells, is created in the bone marrow. The production of haemoglobin occurs when a red blood cell dies, the haemoglobin is broken up and the iron is salvaged and transferred to the bone marrow by proteins called transferrin’s, and the leftover haemoglobin forms the base of a chemical called bilirubin, which is expelled into the bile and gives faeces their yellowish-brown colour.3 The haemoglobin is encapsulated in red blood cells for the transfer of oxygen throughout the body. When the red blood cell needs to pick up oxygen, the haemoglobin forms a bond with the oxygen, which is known as oxyhaemoglobin, blood obtains its bright red colour through the reaction of iron and oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood is then pumped throughout the body. Red blood cells are also responsible for eliminating carbon dioxide from the body, this process is similar to how oxygen and haemoglobin bond. Another key role of red blood cells is to transfer critical nutrients throughout the body. This occurs as the blood receives digested nutrients from the capillaries in the small intestines, these nutrients, minerals, lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins are all carried throughout the body via the blood4. The red blood cell is essential to the respiratory system; the body would not function without it.  

Figure 1 – picture of red blood cell from https://www.cell.com/pictureshow/erythrocyte

An organ is a group of tissues that are connected in a structural unit to perform a shared function. Blood is a bodily fluid that circulates in the circulatory systems of humans and other vertebrates; it is also a vital organ of the circulatory system; it is a warm red fluid that is slightly more viscous than water. The blood is composed of 55% plasma, which is a light yellowish viscous fluid that functions similarly to the cytoplasm in cells. Plasma is composed of 90% water and contains lipids, amino acids, ions, electrolytes, and other nutrients, it includes proteins that aid in blood clotting6. Red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells make up the remaining 45 percent of blood. The white blood cell, also known as leucocytes, is a component of the body's immune system. Its role is to kill foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses, as well as to create antibodies. White blood cells, unlike other cells in the blood, have a nucleus, mitochondria, and vesicles that help them protect the body. There are also several types of white blood cells7.  Platelets are colourless cells found in human blood. Their major function is to clot blood when a blood artery is damaged, therefore stopping blood loss. Platelets or thrombocytes have a plate structure similar to a red blood cell in their inactive form, but when a blood vessel is damaged, it sends signals to the platelet, and the platelet receives this signal, the platelet travels to the site of the damage, grows tentacles to cause a blockage in the bloodstream, this forms a clot to prevent the body from bleeding out.8 The components and cells that comprise blood contribute to blood's various functions, including oxygen delivery, nutrient transport, waste disposal, wound healing, and infection prevention. The blood continues to support life with its functions.

An organ system is a biological system made up of a collection of organs that collaborate to accomplish one or more functions. Each organ in a plant or animal body serves a specific function and is made up of various tissues. The circulatory system comprises numerous blood vessels such as veins, arteries, and capillaries that have the duty of moving blood across the body. The circulatory system also has the heart, which is made up of many cardiac muscles and chambers. The circulatory system is responsible for transporting blood around the body, this starts when the right ventricle transfers oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. The main pulmonary artery transports blood to the lungs, where blood cells absorb oxygen from the capillaries, the Pulmonary veins then transport oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. The oxygenated blood is delivered to the left ventricle through the left atrium. The muscular section of the heart pumps blood throughout the body via the arteries, the blood accumulates and excretes nutrients, hormones, and waste materials as it circulates through your body and organs. The veins return deoxygenated blood and carbon dioxide to the heart, which then transports it to the lungs, the lungs then exhale the carbon dioxide out of the body9. In the sinus node, which generates electrical impulses to the heart, the cardiac ventricles contract, which causes blood flow. The circulatory system supports life and keeps all humans alive.

This result validates the previously stated assumption that cells function as a specialised mechanism to support life. The study question was wandered, and the question posed was if the red blood cell sustained life. This is correct; the red blood cell forms blood by joining with other cells; blood is a vital organ and it supports life because, without blood, the body would not function; blood is a vital organ of the circulatory system and the circulatory system would not work; hypothetically, if the circulatory system failed, oxygen would not be transported around the body; this would mean that human life would end because oxygen is required for all life. This is why cells are needed to sustain life.