Pronunciation: [ˈɜːɹɪθɹˌɒblast] (IPA) 
Erythroblast is a medical term used to describe an immature red blood cell. The word is derived from the Greek words "erythros" meaning red and "blastos" meaning germ. The IPA phonetic transcription for erythroblast is /ɛˈrɪθroʊˌblæst/. The "e" is pronounced "eh", the "r" is rolled, "y" is pronounced as "i", "th" is pronounced as a soft "th" sound, "o" is pronounced as "oh," and "a" is pronounced as "a" in "cat."
An erythroblast refers to an immature red blood cell that is still in the developing stage. It is one of the earliest morphological forms of a red blood cell during its formation and maturation process in the bone marrow. Also known as a normoblast, an erythroblast is characterized by its large size and round shape compared to mature red blood cells. Its appearance is granular due to the presence of ribosomes and other cellular organelles necessary for protein synthesis.
Erythroblasts undergo several stages of development known as erythropoiesis, a highly regulated process that involves the production, maturation, and release of red blood cells into the bloodstream. As an erythroblast progresses through its maturation process, it gradually loses its nucleus and other organelles, resulting in the formation of reticulocytes, which are somewhat more mature red blood cells.
The production of erythroblasts is tightly controlled by the hormone erythropoietin, which is released by the kidneys in response to low oxygen levels in the body. Erythroblast formation is essential for maintaining the normal levels of red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen to tissues and removing carbon dioxide from the body. Any disruption in erythropoiesis may lead to a variety of health conditions, including anemia, which is characterized by a reduced number of mature red blood cells and diminished oxygen-carrying capacity.
Small, colorless, nucleated cells in the bone marrow, thought to be primitive hematoblasts from which are derived the red blood-corpuscles.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "erythroblast" is derived from Greek roots. In Greek, "erythros" means "red" and "blastos" means "germ" or "bud". Therefore, "erythroblast" can be translated as "red germ" or "red bud". This term is commonly used in biology and medicine to refer to a type of immature red blood cell.
