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Review
. 2025 Jun 25:1-4.
doi: 10.1159/000547047. Online ahead of print.

Red Blood Cells and Their Immunoregulatory Role

Angela Risso  1 , Guglielmo Antonutto  2
Affiliations
Review

Red Blood Cells and Their Immunoregulatory Role

Angela Risso et al. Med Princ Pract. .

Abstract

The physiological roles played by red blood cells (RBCs), i.e., oxygen transport to all cells and tissues, CO2 delivery to the lungs, control of pH in blood, and ions transport into and out of the cell membrane, have been investigated extensively over the past decades. The roles mature and immature RBCs play, while in the blood vessels, when they come in contact with other blood and endothelial cells, are only partially known. Here we will focus on the ability of RBC to modulate innate and adaptive immune responses when they interact with cells or molecules encountered during their flow in the vessels. We will outline the possible clinical impact on treatment of some diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory pathologies, or tumors, where immunotherapy can be applied.

Keywords: Dendritic cells; Innate and adaptive immunity; Red blood cells.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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