Question

Mature red blood cells do not divide, nor synthesize fat. Do they need the pentose phosphate pathway and why?

Answer 1

RBCs do not divide because they lack nucleus, no cell organells (mitochondri,golgi,ER, lysosomes etc) so there is no fat synthesis,no carbohydrate synthesis,no protein synthesis.Main function of RBCs is to carry oxygen.

Because of absence of mitochondria, RBCs use glucose as energy source to produce ATP through glycolysis.

Yes RBCs needs pentose phosphate pathway.

Pentose phosphate pathway supply NADPH, which is needed to keep glutathione in reduced glutathione.Reduced glutathione play important role in survival of cell by preventing oxidation of membrane. Reduced glutatione is act as cofactor for glutathione peroxidase which removes H2O2 (reactive oxygen species) .

Glutathione peroxidase reduces H2O2 to H2O and O2.

So the pentose phosphate pathway is the only pathway in RBC to produce NADPH.Any defect in the production of NADPH affect cell survival.

Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase is one of enzyme of pentose phosphate pathway and its deficiency leads to reduced level of NADPH which leads to acute hemolytic anemia.