About this Research Topic
Four years ago we initiated a Research Topic entitled: ‘Regulation of red cell life-span, erythropoiesis, senescence and clearance’. This topic was a great success and received up to now about 65,000 views. However, research continued approaching many of the evident questions like: What are the changes associated with red cell maturation, adulthood and senescence? What are the determinants of red cell life span and clearance? What are the mechanisms in control of red cell mass in healthy humans and patients with various forms of anaemia? Can we “train” red cells to provide us with more O2 during endurance exercises? What are the markers of circulating red cell senescence and in cells during storage and transfusion? And what can we learn from various species that developed advanced adaptations to maintain O2 delivery under stress conditions such as exercising to the limit, diving or living in anaerobic aquatic habitats or at high altitude? How can we all fight infections targeting red blood cells?
With this call of the Research Topic. ‘The red cell life-cycle from erythropoiesis to clearance’ we will continue publishing and discussing the progress in the field.
Within the approximately 120 days (or 40 in a mouse, or 150-170 in a horse…) life span of “healthy” red blood cells many cellular properties change leading to aged mixed cell populations in the circulation. Red blood cells seem to be genetically terminated by the time they become red blood cells and we continuously increase the understanding of this process. Nevertheless, there are surprisingly versatile remodeling processes happening during their life span. Numerous disorders are believed to be associated with the premature onset of “ageing process” of red blood cells. Furthermore, in vitro ageing and/or modifications as well as the slowing down of the modifications is an important issue in transfusion medicine. Many of the molecular mechanisms behind such effects need to be further elucidated.
The Research Topic is meant to include contributions in the field of biochemical investigations, biophysical approaches, comparative, physiological and clinical studies related to the red blood cell life cycle. This includes Original Research, Methods, Hypothesis and Theory, Reviews and Perspectives.
With this call of the Research Topic. ‘The red cell life-cycle from erythropoiesis to clearance’ we will continue publishing and discussing the progress in the field.
Within the approximately 120 days (or 40 in a mouse, or 150-170 in a horse…) life span of “healthy” red blood cells many cellular properties change leading to aged mixed cell populations in the circulation. Red blood cells seem to be genetically terminated by the time they become red blood cells and we continuously increase the understanding of this process. Nevertheless, there are surprisingly versatile remodeling processes happening during their life span. Numerous disorders are believed to be associated with the premature onset of “ageing process” of red blood cells. Furthermore, in vitro ageing and/or modifications as well as the slowing down of the modifications is an important issue in transfusion medicine. Many of the molecular mechanisms behind such effects need to be further elucidated.
The Research Topic is meant to include contributions in the field of biochemical investigations, biophysical approaches, comparative, physiological and clinical studies related to the red blood cell life cycle. This includes Original Research, Methods, Hypothesis and Theory, Reviews and Perspectives.
Keywords: erythrocytes, erythropoiesis, senescence, clearance, anaemia, membrane physiology, rheology, microfluidics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
