Question

What is the advantage of a mature red blood cell having a flattened shape rather than a spherical shape?

A. Their surface area to volume will decrease, making them bigger.
B. Provides more membrane for the electron transport chains where oxygen is consumed.
C. Provides more sites for the membrane-bound hemoglobin molecules which transport oxygen.
D. Saves energy by making more membrane relative to the volume of the cell.
E. Maximizes the relative surface area to exchange of respiratory gasses.

Answer 1

The advantage of a mature red blood cell having a flattened shape rather than a spherical shape is that it provides more surface area for gas exchange compared to its volume.

Step-by-step explanation:

The advantage of a mature red blood cell having a flattened shape rather than a spherical shape is that it provides more surface area for gas exchange compared to its volume. The biconcave shape of red blood cells optimizes the ratio of surface area to volume, allowing for efficient exchange of respiratory gases. This shape also enables the cells to fold up as they move through narrow blood vessels, ensuring they can reach all cells in the body.