Dimensions of red blood cell (shape is basically a circular disc)

Range diameter ~8: thickness 2 µm
Organism Human Homo sapiens
Reference Rosen, Optimality principles in biology, Plenum press 1967, p.56
Comments P.56 4th paragraph: "First, there are some generalities about the form and structure of mammalian erythrocytes. The human erythrocyte, which may be regarded as typical, is basically a circular disc, with a diameter of approximately 8 x 10^-4 cm, and a thickness of 2 x 10^-4 cm. The two faces of the disc are not planar, but are closer to each other in the centre than at the edges of the erythrocyte, giving the cell its characteristic biconcave form. Erythrocytes are present in enormous numbers in the blood stream, there normally being between 4,000,000 and 6,000,000 cells in each cubic millimeter of blood."
Entered by Ron Milo - Admin
ID 100798