Hematopoiesis

Question 1

What is anemia?

Answer 1

It’s defined as a decrease in the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood, or a decreased carrying capacity of oxygen.

Question 2

Anemia can be caused by three different nutrient deficiencies. What are they?

Answer 2

Iron
Vitamin B12
Folic acid

Question 3

Where does Heme biosynthesis occur?

Answer 3

Mostly in the liver and bone marrow.

Question 4

Iron is called a one-way element. Why?

Answer 4

Because we use it! Very little iron is lost through excretion each day.

Question 5

T/F any type of bleeding will cause loss of iron from the body?

Answer 5

True

Question 6

Iron is transported into the plasma bound to what?

Answer 6

transferrin

Question 7

Iron is stored as what?

Answer 7

Ferritin

Question 8

How do you treat iron deficiency anemia? Is one method better than the other?

Answer 8

You take oral or parenteral iron.

They both work equally as well.

Question 9

folic acid and vitamin B12 are necessary for both _____ synthesis and ________.

Answer 9

DNA

Hematopoiesis

Question 10

If you have anemia because of a vitamin B12 insufficiency, (remember B12 is required to make DNA and new RBCs) it’s probably due to a(n) ______ malady.

Answer 10

Absorption

Question 11

Vitamin B12, once it is ingested, must do what in order to survive its trip down the GI tract and be stored for use in the liver?

Answer 11

There is an intrinsic factor that binds to vitamin B12 so it doesn’t get broken down during digestion. This intrinsic factor-Vitamin B12 complex is absorbed later on and transported to the liver for storage

Question 12

Vitamin B12 absorption impairment is probably due to a lack of what?

Answer 12

The intrinsic factor that binds vitamin B12 in the GI traact

Question 13

What Sickle cell disease?

Answer 13

It’s also known as sickle cell anemia. It is a hereditary blood disorder where there is an abnormality in hemoglobin. This causes the blood cells to take on an abnormal shape.
The defective red blood cells are often destroyed by the body and the body tries to make more RBCs but can’t really keep up with the destruction of the sickle cells

Question 14

How do you treat sickle cell anemia?

Answer 14

Bone marrow transplant- get new bone marrow that makes good blood cells.

Question 15

What is Erythropoietin (EPO)?

Answer 15

It is a glycoprotein hormone that controls red blood cell production (erythropoiesis)

Question 16

T/F the dentist might be the first health professional to observe symptoms of anemia in a patient because these symptoms might precede decrease such as a decline in Hb.

Answer 16

True