Red blood cell in a capillary
A red blood cell in a capillary refers to an erythrocyte moving through the body's smallest blood vessels as part of microcirculation.
Also known as: capillary red blood cell speed, erythrocyte capillary flow
How big is it?
0.001 m/s · representative capillary transit speed
Representative capillary transit speed · representative
Typical recorded range: 0.0005 m/s to 0.002 m/s.
A little perspective
Red blood cell in a capillary vs Snail crawling: speed comparison
The capillary transit speed of a red blood cell in a capillary is approximately equal to the speed of a crawling snail.
DISTANCE IN ONE SECOND
A red blood cell in a capillary refers to an erythrocyte moving through the body's smallest blood vessels as part of microcirculation.
1 mm in 1 s
Snail crawling is the slow movement of a snail as it glides along a surface using its muscular foot.
1 mm in 1 s
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Red blood cell in a capillary
Representative capillary transit speed: 0.001 m/s; representative; range 0.0005 m/s–0.002 m/s.
A representative red-blood-cell speed of 1 mm/s in a human capillary. Microvascular flow changes with vessel diameter, tissue, pressure and physiology, and individual cells deform during transit.
NCBI Bookshelf — Microcirculation
The marked representative capillary transit speed is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Snail crawling
Speed: 0.001 m/s; example.
A chosen 1 mm/s crawl. Species, surface and conditions affect pace.
Defined examples — our methodology
The marked speed is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 0.001 m/s
We compare the capillary transit speed of a red blood cell in a capillary. This is a representative comparison value; individual specimens or conditions can vary. The recorded range is 0.0005 m/s to 0.002 m/s.
A representative red-blood-cell speed of 1 mm/s in a human capillary. Microvascular flow changes with vessel diameter, tissue, pressure and physiology, and individual cells deform during transit.
The picture identifies the subject; the diagram compares the recorded values. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.001 m/s | 0.0005 m/s to 0.002 m/s | representative |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueMotion and speedGarden snail relaxed crawl0.0008 m/sSpeedA garden snail relaxed crawl describes the slow, steady movement of a garden snail as it glides along a surface.
Around the same scaleMotion and speedSnail crawling0.001 m/sSpeedSnail crawling is the slow movement of a snail as it glides along a surface using its muscular foot.Nearest higher valueMotion and speedBanana slug crawl0.0015 m/sCrawling speedBanana slug crawl refers to the speed at which a banana slug moves across a surface using muscular contractions and mucus secretion.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- NCBI Bookshelf — MicrocirculationRed cells deform and move through capillaries at tissue- and vessel-dependent millimetre-per-second scales.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
MicroscopicRed blood cell7.5 µmA red blood cell is a specialised blood cell that transports oxygen using haemoglobin.MotionSperm cell swimming5 × 10⁻⁵ m/sSperm cell swimming refers to the speed at which a human sperm cell moves through fluid using its tail for propulsion.MotionSnail crawling0.001 m/sSnail crawling is the slow movement of a snail as it glides along a surface using its muscular foot.MotionGarden snail relaxed crawl0.0008 m/sA garden snail relaxed crawl describes the slow, steady movement of a garden snail as it glides along a surface.MotionBanana slug crawl0.0015 m/sBanana slug crawl refers to the speed at which a banana slug moves across a surface using muscular contractions and mucus secretion.
MotionElectron drift in household copper wiring0.0001 m/sThis refers to the slow average movement of electrons through copper wire when an electric current flows.MotionSea star tube-foot travel0.0003 m/sSea star tube-foot travel is the movement speed of a sea star as it uses its tube feet to glide over surfaces.MotionEarthworm surface crawl0.005 m/sEarthworm surface crawl is the rate at which an earthworm moves along the ground by extending and contracting its body segments.