Structure and function in native and pathological erythrocytes: A quantitative view from the nanoscale

► RBCs morphology can be predicted if the environment and the cell treatments are known. ► The nanomechanical properties discriminate the effects of diverse chemical treatments. ► The membrane roughness is sensitive to the structural integrity of the cytoskeleton. ► The RBCs aging can be studied by AFM through the evolution of many parameters. ► The RBCs aging path can be depicted as a sequence of morphological intermediates.