Q.20 Because they lose their mitochon... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 7: Q.20 (page 204)

Because they lose their mitochondria during development, red blood cells cannot perform aerobic respiration; however, they do perform glycolysis in the cytoplasm. Why do all cells need an energy source, and what would happen if glycolysis were blocked in a red blood cell?

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Cells need an energy source because to perform some actions in essential processes.
If glycolysis were blocked in a red blood cell then loss of its membrane potential would occur and that would lead to death.

Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles (mitochondrion, singular) that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions.
Aerobic respiration:- A chemical process in which oxygen is used to make energy from carbohydrates (sugars).

All cells need an energy source to have enough energy to perform some actions in essential processes (e.g. synthesis of macromolecules, pumping ions across membranes).
Red blood cells don鈥檛 have mitochondria and they are completely dependent on glycolysis for ATP. Therefore, if the process of glycolysis was blocked in a red blood cell, loss of its membrane potential would occur and that would lead to death.