Abstract
Blood oxygen transport regulation by physical activity increase within training dynamics is provided with different mechanisms: from the quantitative and qualitative erythron restructure (including endogenous erythropoietin rise and main erythrocyte index shifts) to change in haemoglobin affinity to oxygen, its heterogeneous structure and blood flow growth as a result of endothelium hyperpolarisation. However, the erythrocyte itself remains a key performer in blood velocity control, due to its structure and functions. This review summarizes the data of modern scientific literature on the characteristics of erythrocytes, which make these cells one of the key links in the oxygen transport system of the blood. The focus on this property of erythrocytes during physical activity is based on the fact that the athlete’s muscles must be supplied with enough oxygen to ensure high performance. Specific training and extra-training factors affecting the content of erythrocytes have been determined. The membrane structure is treated as a significant erythrocyte part in determining its deformation and microvascular blood transport. Enzymes associated with the erythrocyte membrane and affecting cell viability and performance are described. Besides, it is stressed on monitoring erythrocyte indices via modern equipment and assessing lipid peroxidation, which leads to disorders in erythrocyte membrane structure and functions.
Highlights
Since August Krogh regarded skeletal muscle need for oxygen (O2) as a fundamental phy siological process [1], there had been a per spective that the most significant blood func tions are oxygen transfer to tissues and carbon dioxide move to lungs, substrate delivery to muscles, transport and utilization of metabolites
RBC membrane disorders provoked by structure and transport change are different, they are often accompanied by anaemia, which significantly slows oxygen transport to tissues in case of physical activity
Similar irreversible change of erythrocyte S-transformation is induced by cytoskeleton shifts [49]
Summary
Since August Krogh regarded skeletal muscle need for oxygen (O2) as a fundamental phy siological process [1], there had been a per spective that the most significant blood func tions (in terms of energy supply for muscle contraction) are oxygen transfer to tissues and carbon dioxide move to lungs, substrate delivery to muscles, transport and utilization of metabolites. This is provided by haemoglobin as a transport protein located in erythrocytes, making them a key component in blood oxygen circulation [2, 3]. RBC membrane disorders provoked by structure and transport change are different, they are often accompanied by anaemia, which significantly slows oxygen transport to tissues in case of physical activity. Lipid transport produces new membrane structures (in particular, vesicles) connected with different physiological functions in eukaryotic cells – lipid and protein transvesicle carry between organelles or to plasmalemma, liquid-phase endocytosis stimulation.
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