Answer:Decreased Flexibility: The biconcave shape of red blood cells is crucial for their flexibility and ability to squeeze through tiny capillaries. When they lose water and shrink, their flexibility decreases, making it harder for them to navigate through the circulatory system.
Impaired Oxygen Transport: Red blood cells rely on their unique shape to efficiently transport oxygen throughout the body. Distorted red blood cells may have reduced surface area for gas exchange, leading to impaired oxygen transport capacity.
Increased Fragility: The distortion caused by water loss can also make red blood cells more fragile and prone to rupture. This can result in hemolysis, where red blood cells break open prematurely, releasing hemoglobin into the bloodstream.
Altered Functionality: Changes in cell shape can also affect other functions of red blood cells, such as their ability to bind with oxygen or carbon dioxide.
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