Affiliations: University of Lisbon Medical School, Santa Maria Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal | Institute of Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
Note: [] Corresponding author: C. Saldanha, Instituto de Bioquímica, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Edifício Egas Moniz, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal. Tel.: +351 91 8985450; Fax: +351 21 7999477; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The erythrocytes ability of sensing the local oxygen gradient through the hemoglobin conformation, along with changes in nitric oxide mobilization and vasomotor repercussions at the microcirculation, were reviewed in detail in this article. Different approachs trying to explain the erythrocyte death were additionally documented. Also, the influence of several types of molecules (vasoactive, oxidant/reductor) on the erythrocyte roles as sensor of (i) oxygen tissue needs, (ii) blood viscosity and myogenic environment, (iii) and inflammatory conditions were mentioned in order to highlight its physiologycal function and substitute the erroneous idea of the erythrocyte being simply a hemoglobin sac content.
