In the human body, blood plays a vital role because it is a fluid connective tissue. The primary functions performed by it are transportation, pH level regulation as well as regulation of body temperature.
Blood consists of mainly four primary components namely, plasma, red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells.
In terms of human body blood, around 55% makes up of plasma. In this article, the main focus is on differentiating white blood cells and red blood cells. Apart from their functions and structures, there are many other differences to cover up.
White Blood Cells vs Red Blood Cells
The difference between white and red blood cells is their functions. White blood cells are involved in the mechanism of defense. On the other hand, red blood cells are involved in the transportation of gases, minutely carbon dioxide and mainly oxygen.
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Leukocytes are just another name for white blood cells. In the human body, against any infections, they perform as a defense system.
Antibodies are the specific kinds of proteins that are produced by this cell, it fights and identifies pathogens that invade the human body.
Erythrocytes are just another name for red blood cells. It stores hemoglobin, which is a pigment of the respiratory that binds to carbon dioxide or oxygen molecules.
This aids oxygen for transportation to the different organs and tissues of the human body. Carbon dioxide is also taken away from different tissues and organs to be replenished in the lungs.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | White Blood Cells | Red Blood Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Colorless | Red |
| Shape | Rounded in shape. Sometimes, they are amoeboid or irregular-shaped. | Circular and biconcave disc-shaped. |
| Lifespan | 5-21 days | 120 days |
| Systems | In both lymphatic and cardiovascular systems | In the cardiovascular system |
| Motility | Sometimes motile | Not motile |
What are White Blood Cells?
In blood white blood cells is kind of cells of blood that are involved in the mechanism of defense of the animal body by destroying pathogens. In terms of size and shapes, they differ from each other. There are multiple lobes in some of the white blood cells.
Some of the nuclei are round and large. These cells can be further classified as agranulocytes and granulocytes. In the cytoplasm, granules are contained in some of the white blood cells.
That’s why they are known as granulocytes. On the flip side, these granule-like structures do not possess by agranulocytes.
There are mainly three types of granulocytes namely, eosinophils, neutrophils, and basophils. Monocytes and lymphocytes are the other two types of agranulocytes. Among the total blood volume, white blood cells consist of 1%.
After their end of the lifespan, they are destroyed in the system of lymphatic. With the age, their lifespan changes. For instance, there is a high count of white blood cells in the newborn baby in comparison to an adult. With the pregnancy, the count of these cells also changes.
What are Red Blood Cells?
Red blood cells are the kind of cells found in the animal blood, pre she ate Ng into the transportation of the SS, around 6 μm is the diameter of this cell which allows squeezing through blood capillaries small in size in the body.
According to per cubic millimeter of blood, there are red blood cells around 4 to 6 million.
Microphages in the liver and spleen are involved in the old blood cells cleaning off from the system. Due to the presence of pigments such as hemocyanin, hemovanadin, chlorocruorin, hemerythrin, and hemoglobin which makes their color is different.
In vertebrates, hemoglobin is found which gives red blood cells the color which is bright red as well as the blood of the vertebrate. Hemocyanin is contained in Mollusks, which gives their blood a blue color. In tunicates and ascidians, hemovanadin is found with the mustard yellow color.
Erythropoiesis is the process that helps in the production of red blood cells. With the help of this process, red blood cells are produced in the amount of 2 to 3 million and by bone marrow released into the circulation.
Mammals’ mature red blood cells lack a nucleus as a differentiation for the transportation of oxygen.
Main Differences Between White Blood Cells and Red Blood Cells
- When it comes to functions, white blood cells are involved in the mechanism of defense. In contrast, red blood cells are involved in the transportation of gases, minutely carbon dioxide and mainly oxygen.
- The production of white blood cells generally takes place in the bone marrow. On the other hand, during the embryonic period, red blood cells are produced in the spleen and liver. In adults, it is produced in the red bone marrow.
- White blood cells are found in mainly five types, namely, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes, basophils, and lymphocytes. Meanwhile, there is only a single type of red blood cells found in a specific species.
- In terms of special components, white blood cells consist of antigens for HLA or human leukocytes antigen complex. Conversely, hemoglobin is the special component in red blood cells.
- White blood cells can come out from vessels or blood into the lymphatic system and connective tissues. On the flip side, red blood cells circulate only inside the blood vessels.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/204793a0
- https://science.sciencemag.org/content/164/3880/717.abstract
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
