EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The ratio of protein and lipids varies considerably in different cell types. The membrane of the erythrocytes has approximately 52% of proteins and 40% lipids.

Detailed explanation-2: -Here we show that the area occupied by protein and lipid at the center of the human red blood cell (RBC) plasma membrane is at least ≈23% protein and less than ≈77% lipid.

Detailed explanation-3: -The RBC membrane is essentially a two-dimensional (2D) structure, comprised of a cytoskeleton and a lipid bilayer, tethered together. The lipid bilayer includes various types of phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol, and integral membrane proteins, such as band-3 and glycophorin (see Fig.

Detailed explanation-4: -Sprectrin and actin are the two main structural proteins that together form a submembranous cytoskeletal meshwork that is responsible for the viscoelastic properties of the erythrocyte membrane.

Detailed explanation-5: -Erythrocytes do, however, contain some structural proteins that help the blood cells maintain their unique structure and enable them to change their shape to squeeze through capillaries. This includes the protein spectrin, a cytoskeletal protein element.