What is the difference between white and red blood cells?

Answer

Red blood cells have the function of transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, so that all cells that make up our body receive vital oxygen. In addition, they also transport carbon dioxide that comes from the body cells as waste material, towards the lungs where we exhale it. Oxygen is bound in the red blood cells to the molecule hemoglobin, which gives the red color to the blood.

White blood cells have the function of detecting and breaking down microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, and viruses, that would enter our body. They therefore provide the defense against infectious diseases. They can also clear damaged cells and cancer cells. In fact, they have no color and are therefore called “white”. There are several specialized cell types in white blood cells: T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, natural killer cells, monocytes, and three types of granulocytes (also called polymorphonuclear cells). Each white blood cell type has its specialized function within the immune system, which is very complex.

Another important difference is that red blood cells in our body always remain within the blood vessels. White blood cells, on the other hand, can leave the blood vessels and crawl around all over our body (outside the brain) between the cells in our tissues and organs. Thus, they can “catch” microorganisms that have penetrated everywhere.

Red blood cells are the only cells in our body that do not have a nucleus (or mitochondria – small organelles present in all other cells that consume oxygen). They are therefore the only cells in our body without DNA.