Red blood cells are the body's true shape shifters, perhaps the most malleable of all cell types, transforming - among many other forms - into compressed discs capable of going through capillaries ...

Researchers report that a protein called myosin IIA contracts to give red blood cells their distinctive shape. The findings could shed light on sickle cell diseases and other disorders where red blood ...

Red blood cells, which make up 45 percent of blood, normally take the shape of circular cushions with a dimple on either side. But they can sometimes deform into an asymmetrical slipper shape. A team ...

Red blood cells are not just vehicles that transport oxygen in our bodies: they also clear harmful substances from the bloodstream. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University recently investigated how ...

It’s obvious that organs maturing in a developing embryo need new blood vessels that will supply oxygen and other vital molecules. These fledgling blood vessels may do more, however. Even before blood ...

The eyes may be the window to the heart as well as the soul – particularly, to whether that heart is at risk of an infarct, researchers reported last week at the annual congress of the European ...

A red cell distribution width (RDW) test is a type of blood test that indicates variations in the size of a person’s red blood cells. It can confirm an anemia diagnosis and help determine its cause.

Familiar with the phrase "cough up a lung"? It's not actually possible, but one man stunned doctors when he coughed up a blood clot in the shape of one. Researchers published the shocking findings in ...

LA JOLLA, CA - April 4, 2018 - Red blood cells are on a wild ride. As they race through the body to deliver oxygen, they must maintain a distinct dimpled shape--and bounce back into form even after ...