What is the function of peripheral membrane proteins in red blood cells?

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Peripheral membrane proteins in red blood cells form the supporting cytoskeletal scaffold that lies just beneath the inner surface of the membrane. Spectrin and actin assemble into a meshwork, connected to the bilayer through ankyrin and other linkers, so this lattice anchors the membrane to the cytoskeleton. This skeletal support preserves the characteristic biconcave shape and allows extreme deformability as RBCs squeeze through tiny capillaries, making the membrane both strong and flexible. Oxygen transport is performed by hemoglobin inside the cell, not by these structural proteins, and enzymatic modification of hemoglobin isn’t a role of the peripheral cytoskeleton.