The cells responsible for carrying nutrients from food to the rest of the cells in the body are primarily red blood cells (erythrocytes). After nutrients are absorbed in the digestive system, they enter the bloodstream, where they are transported by plasma, the liquid component of blood.
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which primarily carries oxygen, but they also help transport some nutrients, especially certain small molecules. However, the major transport of nutrients occurs through the plasma in the blood, which flows through blood vessels, delivering nutrients to various tissues and cells throughout the body.
Additionally, other components of the circulatory system, including various types of plasma proteins, play roles in transporting specific nutrients and molecules, such as lipoproteins for fats and albumin for certain amino acids and hormones.
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