![This is blank.](https://digitalhistology.org/wp-content/themes/histology-unified/imgs/trans.png)
Cell shapes: spherical
Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x
![White blood cells <p>Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x</p>](https://digitalhistology.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C.B.Sh-1-1-new-ping.png)
White blood cells
Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x
![Red blood cells <p>Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x</p>](https://digitalhistology.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C.B.Sh-1-2-new-ping.png)
Red blood cells
Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x
![Platelets <p>Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x</p>](https://digitalhistology.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C.B.Sh-1-3-new-ping.png)
Platelets
Cells that are in a fluid environment, e.g., blood, usually take on a spherical shape. In this blood smear, white blood cells are spherical. The red blood cells, in contrast, are bi-concave discs, which afford greater surface area for exchange of gases across the cell membrane. 1000x