Final answer:
Erythrocytes originate from pro erythroblasts in red bone marrow and are part of the hemopoiesis process. These cells mature into red blood cells tasked with transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide via hemoglobin. They live about 120 days and are continually replenished.
Step-by-step explanation:
Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, begin their maturation sequence in red bone marrow from nucleated cells known as proerythroblasts. These cells eventually give rise to reticulocytes, which then lose their nucleus and organelles before maturing into erythrocytes. Erythrocyte production is part of the larger process of hemopoiesis, which continually replaces the formed elements of blood, including leukocytes and platelets, in addition to erythrocytes. Erythropoietin is one of the hemopoietic growth factors that stimulate the production and differentiation of erythrocytes.
This cellular development occurs in the bone marrow, where stem cells differentiate into either the myeloid or lymphoid lineages. Myeloid stem cells are responsible for giving rise to a variety of formed elements in the blood, with proerythroblasts being the precursor cells for erythrocytes. The erythrocytes are specialized to carry oxygen and carbon dioxide thanks to hemoglobin, live approximately 120 days, and are constantly being replaced due to their relatively short life span.