To what extent does the human erythrocyte meet the definition of a eukaryotic cell?

Question

To what extent does the human erythrocyte meet the definition of a eukaryotic cell?

Answer 1

Eukaryotic cells have a true organised nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane.........When RBC are formed frm the red bone marrow tissues.........they contain a nucleus..........but as the RBC mature..........they lose their nucleus to give more space for haemoglobin...........so mature RBC does not meet the definition of a eukaryotic cell

Answer 2

They actually don't meet the definition very well.  Erythrocytes (red blood cells) start out as normal Eukaryotes in the bone marrow.   However as they mature they lose defining characteristics of all eukaryotic cells.  They lack a nucleus and many of the internal membrane bound structures (like mitochondria) that make a eukaryotic cell eukaryotic.  They are loaded with hemoglobin.....

Obviously they are eukaryotic cells because they're certainly not prokaryotic cells......but they don't fit into the definition of "eukaryotic" very well...

Answer 3

Hugely

edit - see how c**p it is to ask things like this on Y/A? You get people giving bogus answers all the time. So am I right or are the people below!?!?! Maybe best if you actually go to a library and read a book on the subject.

Answer 4

"Good question"

Answer 5

Red blood cells have some very important differences to other eukaryotic cells:

- They do not reproduce

- Full-grown human erythrocytes do not have a cell nucleus, they have no DNA (That's only with mammals. Other animal blood cells do have DNA)

- They do not have mitochondrias

Usually eukaryotic cells (Greek "Karyon" meaning "core" in this case) are defined by a membrane-encased nucleus containing the DNA.

The missing nucleus still does not make them prokaryotic; as red blood cells appear in eukaryotes they must be eukaryotic. (All remaining features are eucaryotic)

It's even debatable to which extent human Erythrocytes are cells at all - with no DNA and no ability of reproduction.

Answer 6

Human erythrocytes lack a cell nucleus and as a result, have no DNA.

They have nuclei during early phases of development, but extrude them as they mature in order to provide more space for hemoglobin.

Answer is they have a nucleus at some stage in their development and hence are eukaryotes.