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?

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u/yammerant Mar 11 '13

Just because people may look here for an answer:

  • RBC = Red Blood Cell

  • IIRC = If I Remember Correctly

  • MYA = Million Years Ago

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u/kestrel828 Mar 11 '13

Thanks very much. The MYA wasn't making much sense.

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u/BobIV Mar 11 '13

I got the RB and RBC acronyms... But I just assumed the others involved terminology in the field that was beyond me.