Why are mitochondria absent in red blood cells?

Answer Expert Verified The Red Blood Cells (RBC) carry oxygen to the cells. To make this function very efficient, it loses or removes its Mitochondria during a phase called Erythropoiesis. Absence of Mitochondria also gives Red Blood Cells more space to carry oxygen and also to produce ATP, which is an energy carrier.

Why the lack of mitochondria in RBC is beneficial to RBC?

Lack of mitochondria means that the cells use none of the oxygen they transport. Instead they produce the energy carrier ATP by means of fermentation, via glycolysis of glucose and by lactic acid production.

Do red blood cells need mitochondria?

Cellular processes As a result of not containing mitochondria, red blood cells use none of the oxygen they transport; instead they produce the energy carrier ATP by the glycolysis of glucose and lactic acid fermentation on the resulting pyruvate.

Are mitochondria absent in prokaryotes?

Prokaryotes lack mitochondria and instead produce their ATP on their cell surface membrane.

Why do eukaryotic cells require mitochondria?

Mitochondria — often called the powerhouses of the cell — enable eukaryotes to make more efficient use of food sources than their prokaryotic counterparts. That’s because these organelles greatly expand the amount of membrane used for energy-generating electron transport chains.

Why do erythrocytes not use oxygen?

Rather, they can use energy obtained from anaerobic respiration as they transport all the oxygen they carry to other cells that need it. This ensures that no oxygen is wasted in the process. Because erythrocytes lack mitochondria, they also lack the oxidative enzymes that are required for aerobic respiration.

Why mature RBCs are enucleated?

After synthesis, it undergoes a process called enucleation in which the nucleus is removed. The absence of a nucleus allows the red blood cells to contain more hemoglobin and hence all their internal space is available for oxygen transport in order to the body tissues.