Red blood cells are also known as erythrocytes. Erythrocytes are cells in the blood that are responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and for carrying carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs to be expelled. They are shaped like disks and have a flexible structure, allowing them to move easily through the narrowest blood vessels. They also contain a protein called hemoglobin, which binds to oxygen and gives red blood cells their characteristic red color.