title: Red cell mass: Its precursors and its perturbations.
abstract: There are only two fundamental causes of anemia: diminished erythrocyte production and shortened erythrocyte life span. Genetic, environmental, pathologic, and iatrogenic factors that may reduce red cell mass are put in clinical perspective.
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D004911:Erythrocyte Volume; D004912:Erythrocytes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male