Human blood products are, unsurprisingly, a staple of in vitro research. Thus, by nature, human red blood cells are a commonly used sample in a wide variety of research applications. In this blog we’ll cover some of the major functions of red blood cells in the body and look at some of the ways human red blood cells are used in research.
Red Blood Cells in the Body
Red blood cells (RBCs), or erythrocytes, are the most abundant cell type found in whole blood and are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. RBCs are made in the bone marrow and are released into the peripheral blood when almost mature. Once mature, they start their work in the lungs, absorbing oxygen and transporting it through the body to the various tissues. There, it exchanges the oxygen for carbon dioxide and carries it back to the lungs to be exhaled from the body (“Red Blood Cells: Function, Role & Importance”).
To perform their job, RBCs are highly specialized and can communicate with a variety of cell types and receptors. For example, RBCs can communicate and interact with endothelial cells, platelets, bacteria, and macrophages. RBCs play a role in maintaining thrombosis and hemostasis and are also vitally important in immune responses against pathogens (Pretini, Koenen, Kaestner, Fens, Schiffelers, Bartels, and Van Wijk, 2019).
Human Red Blood Cells in Research
Because red blood cells play such a vital role in the body, it should come as no surprise that many different fields of study rely on red blood cells for various aspects of research. One such way RBCs are used in research is to use them in studies on drug delivery and interactions. Since RBCs function is to transport oxygen throughout the body and interact with a variety of receptors and tissues, it should come as no surprise that RBC have been looked at in research as a method of drug delivery and transport. Research has been done using RBCs to test for ways to utilize the specialized membranes of RBCs, normally used to absorb and transport oxygen, to absorb and transport drugs throughout the body (Liu, Li, Wang, Zhang, Liang, Gao, and Yang, 2025).
On a similar note, other researchers have used the fact that red blood cells are involved in injury healing or pathogen fighting to “target” specific areas of interest for treatment. Researchers are also exploring the use of engineered RBCs and RBC-derived materials as targeted drug-delivery systems. By modifying RBC surfaces or incorporating therapeutic compounds, researchers can take advantage of their natural circulation properties while adding features designed to direct therapeutic cargo toward specific tissues or biological targets. These engineered approaches are being investigated as potential platforms for targeted drug and antibody delivery (McMaster University, 2020).
Outside of research into potential drug targeting, transport, and delivery methodology, RBCs are also used in a range of other specialties. Forensics researchers use RBCs and whole blood in their work. Immunology researchers study RBC function to better understand immune responses, illnesses, and bloodborne diseases. RBCs can also be used as a biomarker in research on diagnostics or tool development. Overall, no matter what your specific field of research, there’s a chance RBCs may be useful to your studies.
Red Blood Cells from Innovative Research
Now that we’ve covered RBC function and some of their research applications, you might be ready to source some for your next project. Innovative Research sources RBCs from donors at our US facilities and offers them both as a standard sample or as a washed sample. We keep these samples in stock, meaning they are ready-to-ship when you need them. Looking for a custom collection? Contact our customer service team and we will be happy to work with your specific parameters.
Citations
Cleveland Clinic medical. “Red Blood Cells: Function, Role & Importance.” Cleveland Clinic, 24 Dec. 2025, https://www.my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21691-function-of-red-blood-cells
Pretini, Virginia, et al. “Red Blood Cells: Chasing Interactions.” Frontiers in Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 31 July 2019, https://www.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6684843/
Hangbing Liu, Yi Li, Yuli Wang, Liying Zhang, Xiaoqing Liang, Chunsheng Gao, Yang Yang, Red blood cells-derived components as biomimetic functional materials: Matching versatile delivery strategies based on structure and function, Bioactive Materials, Volume 47, 2025, Pages 481-501, ISSN 2452-199X, 18 January 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2025.01.021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452199X25000210
University, McMaster. “Physicists Design ‘super-Human’ Red Blood Cells to Deliver Drugs to Specific Targets.” EurekAlert!, 16 Jan. 2020, www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/803296
