7. Frequently asked questions

Why do some blood cells have nuclei and others not?

Leukocytes retain their nuclei and act as living cells, defending the body. Red blood cells lose their nuclei during maturation, just before being introduced into the bloodstream. They then become nothing more than inert chemical corpuscles carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide, with no metabolic life of their own. Platelets also lose their nuclei and behave as coagulation materials.

Can mutagenic actions be detected in blood cells?

On erythrocytes, when the red cell nucleus is expelled, the presence of a chromosomal alteration induced by a chemical substance during erythrocyte multiplication can be detected by the presence of a micronucleus on certain circulating red cells.

In lymphocytes, the actions of mutagenic chemicals lead to chromosome...