Which statement best describes the function of integral membrane proteins in red blood cells?

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The key idea is that the membrane proteins in red blood cells do more than just sit in the lipid bilayer—they display the surface antigens that define blood groups and they anchor the cell’s cytoskeleton to the membrane. Glycoproteins on the RBC surface carry the ABO and other antigens, so integral membrane proteins are the carriers of these determinants. At the same time, the underlying cytoskeleton (spectrin–actin network) is tethered to the membrane through these integral proteins, linking the skeletal lattice to the bilayer and preserving the cell’s shape and flexibility as it squeezes through narrow capillaries. While there are transporters like GLUT1 that move glucose and other processes in RBCs, the best description of the primary function of these integral membrane proteins is to present antigens and to anchor the membrane skeleton. Enzymes for heme synthesis aren’t active in mature RBCs, since these cells lack mitochondria and the capacity for such synthesis.