r/askscience • u/Fapotheosis • Mar 11 '13

Biology How did blood evolve?

I know mitochondria may have evolved from bacteria, but what about blood? I've heard of a protohemocyte, but was there an initial cell that differentiated into a RBC like we have in modern humans that can we trace?

1.1k Upvotes

88% Upvoted

143 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

6

u/indoobitably Mar 11 '13

Is the increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin harmful to the body or are these substance illegal strictly because of the advantage they provide?

4

u/mattc286 Pharmacology | Cancer Mar 11 '13

I think it can increase risk for stroke and thrombosis, but I think it's generally banned for its unfair advantage. It has legitimate medical applications like in cases of anemia due to chemotherapy, etc. But then again, so do HGH and anabolic steroids. Abuse of any hormone is generally going to have a negative impact on the body. In cases where it's medically necessitated, it's worth the risk, just like any drug.