Where is red bone marrow found

Red bone marrow is an important classification of bone marrow and a relatively important substance in the human body. It is called red bone marrow because it is red in color. The main function of red bone marrow is hematopoiesis. It is also a type of bone marrow that cannot regenerate, so it is of great significance to human health. Below, we will introduce in detail the location, distribution and specific functions of red bone marrow.

1. Where is the red bone marrow located?

Red bone marrow is present in the medullary cavity of long bones (such as humerus and femur) and the mesh between the loose bone of flat bones (such as ilium). It is a spongy tissue. The bone marrow that can produce blood cells is slightly red and is called red bone marrow.

2. Distribution of Red Bone Marrow

When a person is born, red bone marrow fills the bone marrow cavities throughout the body. As age increases, the number of fat cells increases, and a considerable portion of the red bone marrow is replaced by yellow bone marrow. Finally, almost only the bone marrow cavities of flat bones contain red bone marrow. This change may be because adults do not need all of the bone marrow cavity hematopoiesis, and partial bone marrow cavity hematopoiesis is sufficient to replenish the required blood cells. The red bone marrow of adults is mainly distributed in the cancellous bones of flat bones, irregular bones and the epiphyseal ends of long bones, and has active hematopoietic function. When the body is severely ischemic, part of the yellow bone marrow can be replaced by red bone marrow, and the hematopoietic capacity of the bone marrow is significantly improved.

3. The role of red bone marrow

Bone marrow is the body's blood-forming tissue, located within many of the body's bones. There are two types of bone marrow in adults: red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. Red bone marrow can produce red blood cells, platelets and various white blood cells. Platelets have a hemostatic effect, white blood cells can kill and inhibit various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, etc.; certain lymphocytes can produce antibodies. Therefore, bone marrow is not only a hematopoietic organ, it is also an important immune organ. Yellow bone marrow is mainly fatty tissue, which can be converted into red bone marrow when the body is anemic. Some drugs, such as chloramphenicol and furans, can affect bone marrow hematopoietic function and cause aplastic anemia after long-term and large-scale use.

It fills the gap between the bone marrow cavity and the cancellous bone, and is divided into red bone marrow and yellow bone marrow. The red bone marrow contains red blood cells at different developmental stages, some white blood cells, and adipose tissue.