Which component of blood carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues?

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Red blood cells, or erythrocytes, are the component that carries oxygen. They contain hemoglobin, a protein with iron that binds oxygen in the lungs to form oxyhemoglobin. As blood reaches tissues, the oxygen is released from hemoglobin to meet cellular needs for respiration. The shape and hemoglobin content of erythrocytes maximize their oxygen-carrying capacity. Leucocytes are white blood cells involved in immune defense, and thrombocytes (platelets) are involved in blood clotting, not oxygen transport. The term “transport” is not a blood component.