Rodrigo Morales Castro

Red blood cells (RBCs) are the most abundant blood cell type and play an essential role in transporting oxygen throughout the body. Historically, RBCs were believed to function uniquely as oxygen carries, but recent evidence suggest that they may also play active roles in immune responses and wound healing. This proposal aims to investigate the role of RBCs in inflammation and tissue regeneration, focusing on the molecular mechanisms by which RBCs influence inflammatory responses, control pathogen invasion, and promote wound healing. Using a zebrafish model of tissue injury, I have observed that RBCs accumulate at the injury site during the inflammatory phase, despite oxygen exchange in zebrafish larvae occurring independently of RBCs. Therefore, my proposal is build under the hypothesis that RBC recruitment to injured tissues is an active process that supports inflammation and tissue repair. This proposal will combine live imaging, transcriptomic analyses, and functional experiments, to explore the specific functions of RBCs in wound-related inflammation and tissue regeneration. The outcomes of this study are highly relevant, as it could uncover previously unappreciated immunological functions of RBCs, potentially opening new therapeutical avenues for treating wound infections and promoting wound healing.