Abstract
Why should we take interest in studying red blood cells? This mini review attempts to answer this question and highlights the problems that authors find most appealing in this dynamic research area. It addresses the early career scientists who are just starting their independent journey and facing tough times. Despite unlimited access to information, the exponential development of computational and intellectual powers, and the seemingly endless possibilities open to talented and ambitious early career researchers, they soon realize that the pressure of imminent competition for financial support is hard. They have to hit deadlines, produce data, publish, report, teach, manage, lead groups, and remain loving family members at the same time. Are these countless hardships worth it? We think they are. Despite centuries of research, red blood cells remain a mysterious and fascinating study objects. These cells bring together experts within the family of the European Red Cell Society and beyond. We all share our joy for the unknown and excitement in understanding how red cells function and what they tell us about the microenvironments and macroenvironments they live in. This review is an invitation to our colleagues to join us on our quest.
Highlights
Reviewed by: Jeanne Elise Hendrickson, Yale University School of Medicine, United States Etheresia Pretorius, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Angelo D’Alessandro, University of Colorado Denver, United States
Are all the 1.7 × 1011 cells we produced today the same? Do they differ from the cells we made yesterday when we went hiking in the mountains or were swimming in the lake? How do the heat waves associated with climate change affect these cells? How does microgravity affect them when, e.g., hitchhiking through the galaxy? How do the cells change as we get older and older with the increasing life expectancy? Do the red cells produced today pass away on the same day and from the same cause? For humans, the causes of death and lifespan of individual cells seem to be somewhat random (Kaestner and Minetti, 2017), and the investigations to be done are complex, as we cannot trace
We can detect electric currents that ions mediate passing through red blood cell membranes in hundreds of individual cells at the same time (Rotordam et al, 2019)
Summary
Reviewed by: Jeanne Elise Hendrickson, Yale University School of Medicine, United States Etheresia Pretorius, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Angelo D’Alessandro, University of Colorado Denver, United States. Why should we take interest in studying red blood cells? Despite centuries of research, red blood cells remain a mysterious and fascinating study objects.
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