The life of a red blood cell is short due to its lack of nucleus; human red blood cells only survive for about 120 days. When red blood cells are old or damage, they are ready to be eliminated from the bloodstream.
Red blood cell removal is controlled by specialized cells called macrophages in the spleen (part of the lymphatic system) and the liver. The spleen disposes of worn-out red blood cells and controls the amount of blood cells at work in the body. Additionally, the liver recycles iron from damaged red blood cells. Together, the macrophages in the spleen and liver remove old red blood cells from the body.