# Across species: A comparative perspective on red cell homeostasis and its influence on our understanding of human physiology and disease

## TL;DR

This review shows how studying red blood cells in animals has improved our understanding of human red blood cell function and disease.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comparative analysis of red cell homeostasis across species and its impact on human physiology and disease understanding.

## Key findings

- Animal red cell studies have clarified long-term volume stability and transport protein coordination.
- Comparative research has enhanced understanding of protein phosphorylation and cation-chloride cotransporters.
- Studies in various species have shown non-essential roles of band 3 in red cell integrity.

## Abstract

This review emphasises how studies on animal red cells have enriched our understanding of the behaviour of those from humans. For example, the pump–leak model for long‐term volume stability is indebted to work on high potassium (HK)‐ and low potassium (LK)‐containing sheep red cells. Studies in several species including trout have been useful for detailing how the co‐ordinated behaviour of red cell transport proteins is involved in shorter term volume homeostasis and other functions. Our understanding of how protein phosphorylation pathways control the activity of the cation‐chloride cotransporters has been given impetus by work in rabbit, sheep, trout and other species. Red cells from dogs and cats were historically important for developing theories on macromolecular crowding and cation permeability. Cattle red cells have helped substantiate that band 3 is not essential for red cell integrity. Work in many other species has informed our understanding of red cell physiology and a discussion of these areas illustrates how a comparative perspective has resoundingly enhanced and enriched our knowledge of human red cell physiology. A similar comparative approach to red cell pathophysiology is much less comprehensive although it has the potential to be invaluable for a better understanding of problems in humans.

This review highlights how studies on animal red cells have enriched our understanding of the behaviour of those from humans. A comparative perspective has enhanced our knowledge of human red cell pathophysiology