Red blood cell blood circulation for about 100 to 120 days (and 80 to 90 days in a full term infant). At the end of their lifespan, they are removed from circulation. In many chronic diseases, the lifespan of the red blood cells is reduced. Erythropoiesis is the process by which new red blood cells are produced; it lasts about 7 days. Through this process red blood cells are continuously produced in the red bone marrow of large bones. (In the embryo, the liver is the main site of red blood cell production.) The production can be stimulated by the hormone erythropoietin (EPO),
Furan fatty acids specifically trap hydroxyl radicals. It is therefore believed that this is in different biological systems their main function. They also inhibit the singlet oxygen-induced hemolysis of red blood cells (red blood cell disintegration). Plants and algae produce furan fatty acids during the biosynthesis from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). These are seemingly used in these organisms as protection against free radicals generated by sunlight. Occasionally it is speculated that the health-promoting properties originally attributed to omega-3 fatty acids may not be based on themself, but on the furan fatty acids also present in the fish. A clinical trial of isolated omega-3