Question

This is the red blood cell (erthrocyte). Does this cell actually have a hole in the center?

Answer 1

No, red blood cells (erythrocytes) do not have a hole in the center. They have a largely flattened, bi-concave disk shape, which means they are thinner in the middle and thicker at the edges, resembling a donut or a disc with depressed centers on both sides. When viewed under a microscope, it may appear as if there is a hole in the center, but in reality, it is the absence of a nucleus that gives this appearance. The lack of a nucleus allows more space for oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecules inside the cell.