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Review
. 2021 Feb 25:2021:6656062.
doi: 10.1155/2021/6656062. eCollection 2021.

The Relationship between Erythrocytes and Diabetes Mellitus

Yaqi Wang  1 , Peiyuan Yang  1 , Zhaoli Yan  2 , Zhi Liu  1 , Qiang Ma  1 , Zehong Zhang  1 , Yunxia Wang  1 , Yan Su  1
Affiliations
Review

The Relationship between Erythrocytes and Diabetes Mellitus

Yaqi Wang et al. J Diabetes Res. .

Abstract

High blood glucose level (hyperglycemia) is a leading indicator of diabetes mellitus (DM). Erythrocytes are the most abundant cells in the circulation and the first to perceive changes in plasma composition. Long-lasting hyperglycemia affects the structure and function of erythrocytes. The detection of erythrocyte-related indicators can provide a valuable reference for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of DM and its complications. This paper reviews the normal structure and function of erythrocytes, the changes in erythrocytes in patients with diabetes, and the role of erythrocytes in the development of diabetic complications to provide more indicators for the early prevention of DM complications and to monitor the therapeutic effect of DM.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Risk of erythrocytes in diabetic patients and its effects on cellular functions. The erythrocytes in diabetic patients face multiple risks, such as hyperglycemia, hyperosmolarity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid metabolism disorder, which lead to increased aggregation, reduced cell deformability, and reduced membrane fluidity. These changes in erythrocytes eventually give rise to microcirculation disorder and diabetic complications.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Glucose metabolism disorders in patients with diabetes profoundly affect the morphological structure and physiological functions of erythrocytes. The black arrows indicate promoting function, and the orange arrows indicate inhibitory function.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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