Mature red blood cells do not contain any of the other membrane bound organelles. An important organelle missing in the red blood cells is the mitochondria. Mitochondria are the power houses of a cell that produce energy that the cell might use up.
Since mitochondria are absent, the red blood cells need another mode for producing their energy. That is why they acquire energy by fermentation.
You must be wondering why red blood cells lack these organelles (or that is the question your teacher is going to ask next). See, the nucleus is needed for cell division because it has all the genetic material in it. Now, the red blood cells are made in the spleen and do not need to have individual DNAs because they do not need to divide on their own. That is why, when the red blood cells mature, they lose their DNA.
Also, the red blood cells carry haemoglobin in them which helps to transport oxygen through the blood. Absence of other organelles makes space for this and that is why the red blood cell is small enough to pass through minute capilliaries and is still efficient when it comes to take up of oxygen and its transport.
Since mitochondria are absent, the red blood cells need another mode for producing their energy. That is why they acquire energy by fermentation.
You must be wondering why red blood cells lack these organelles (or that is the question your teacher is going to ask next). See, the nucleus is needed for cell division because it has all the genetic material in it. Now, the red blood cells are made in the spleen and do not need to have individual DNAs because they do not need to divide on their own. That is why, when the red blood cells mature, they lose their DNA.
Also, the red blood cells carry haemoglobin in them which helps to transport oxygen through the blood. Absence of other organelles makes space for this and that is why the red blood cell is small enough to pass through minute capilliaries and is still efficient when it comes to take up of oxygen and its transport.
