Final answer:
Normal red blood cells (RBCs) live for about 120 days in a healthy body. They are produced in bone marrow and are recycled by macrophages in the liver and spleen. Sickle cell anemia can significantly reduce RBC lifespan, but glycolipid and glycoprotein coatings on RBCs affect blood type, not lifespan.
Step-by-step explanation:
Normal red blood cells (RBCs) in a healthy body have a lifespan of approximately 120 days. These cells are created in the red marrow of bones such as the long bones, ribs, skull, and vertebrae. As they mature, they lack a nucleus and other organelles, which allows them to carry more hemoglobin and thus more oxygen. After around four months in circulation, erythrocytes, another term for RBCs, are broken down and recycled by macrophages, primarily in the bone marrow, liver, and spleen.
In conditions such as sickle cell anemia, RBC lifespans are significantly shortened, generally to less than 30 days, which results in a number of physiological changes and symptoms. Lastly, the glycolipid and glycoprotein coatings on the surface of RBCs are responsible for different blood types and have no effect on the RBCs' lifespan.