How does the body recycle blood? Where does old blood go?
The body recycles blood through a process called the red blood cell lifecycle. Red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, have a limited lifespan of about 120 days. As they age, they become less efficient at carrying oxygen and eventually die.
When red blood cells die, they are broken down by the spleen and liver. The haemoglobin, which is the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, is broken down into bilirubin. Bilirubin is then transported to the liver, where it is broken down further and excreted in the bile.
So, where does old blood go? The components of old blood are recycled and reused by the body. The haemoglobin is broken down into bilirubin and excreted, while the iron is released back into the bloodstream and used to make new red blood cells.
Related Questions and Answers
- What is the lifespan of a red blood cell? 120 days
- What organ breaks down old red blood cells? Spleen and liver
- What is the waste product of haemoglobin breakdown? Bilirubin
- Where is bilirubin excreted? In the bile
- What happens to the iron released from old red blood cells? It is reused to make new red blood cells
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