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Overview

Anemia is characterized by an insufficient number of red blood cells (RBCs). RBCs carry oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. All cells require oxygen to function.


Red blood cells originate in bone marrow as erythroblasts (a "blast" is a primitive cell that develops into a mature cell). Hemoglobin (Hb), a protein that binds to oxygen, is the main component of red blood cells. Once RBCs become filled with hemoglobin they enter the bloodstream as erythrocytes. Heal...Read the full article