Which of the following is also referred to as erythrocytes?

Erythrocytes are specifically defined as red blood cells. Their primary function in the body is to transport oxygen from the lungs to various tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs for exhalation. This process is facilitated by hemoglobin, a protein found within red blood cells that binds to oxygen and carbon dioxide.

This definition highlights the significance of erythrocytes within the circulatory system. The other choices do not relate to the definition of erythrocytes: platelets are involved in blood clotting, white blood cells are crucial for the immune response, and clotting factors refer to proteins involved in the coagulation process. This ensures that red blood cells or erythrocytes play a unique and vital role distinct from those other components of blood.