Structural and mechanical properties of the red blood cell’s cytoplasmic membrane seen through the lens of biophysics

Red blood cells (RBCs) are the most abundant cell type in the human body and critical suppliers of oxygen. The cells are characterized by a simple structure with no internal organelles. Their two-layered outer shell is composed of a cytoplasmic membrane (RBC _cm ) tethered to a spectrin cytoskeleton allowing the cell to be both flexible yet resistant against shear stress. These mechanical properties are intrinsically linked to the molecular …