FUNCTION OF A RED BLOOD CELL:
OXYGEN DELIVERY

Red blood cells are responsible for delivering oxygen to all the cells and tissues of the body. Oxygen-poor blood travels to the heart and is pumped into the lungs. There, oxygen passes through the porous walls of tiny air sacs called alveoli, where it enters the blood through the surrounding capillaries. The re-oxygenated blood then returns to the heart where it is delivered to the cells and tissues of the body through the vascular system - an intricate and complex network of vessels.

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