A type of blood cell that is made in the bone marrow and found in the blood. Erythrocytes contain a protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Checking the number of erythrocytes in the blood is usually part of a complete blood cell (CBC) test. It may be used to look for conditions such as anemia, dehydration, malnutrition, and leukemia. Also called RBC and red blood cell.