Test 4: Macrocytic Anemias Flashcards
Normoblastic, macrocytic anemia result from?
-acute blood loss or Hemolysis
-hypothyroidism
-Chronic alcohol intake
Megaloblastic, macrocytic anemia is result from…..
Ineffective hematopoiesis 
Megaloblastic anemia is the hallmark disease affecting _______ Metabolism.
DNA
What causes macrocytosis macrocytic anemia?
DNA disorders
Can also cause large granulocyte precursors (giant metamylocytes)
An abnormally large red cell precursor is called…
Megaloblast
What is the root cause of Megaloblastic anemia?
Impaired DNA synthesis (due to B12 or folate deficiency) Bad results and abnormal RBC maturation in bone marrow
What is the hemolytic component of megaloblastic anemia?
Early cell death of many RBC precursors while they are still in the bone marrow
Megaloblastic anemia affects what cells?
RBCs mostly
Also affects granulocytic and Megakaryocytic maturation but to a lesser degree
In megaloblastic anemia, Marrow is ___________ due to increased EPO but erythropoiesis is ineffective.
Hypercellular
M:E ratio is used only For what location?
Bone marrow
What is the normal M:E ratio?
2:1 4:1
____________ M:E ratio in myeloid hyperplasia or erythroid hypoplasia 
Increased
______________ M:E ratio in myeloid hypoplasia and erythroid hyperplasia
Decreased
Megaloblastic anemia:
Primary defect is inability to make the early DNA building block, _____________.
Thymidine
(DNA replication process is incomplete, Causing the cell to have nuclear growth arrest early on in mitosis when it is naturally a larger size cell)
- The resulting DNA is non-functional
In megaloblastic anemia, cytoplasmic maturation is not affected so Hgb will go and synthesis continues resulting in…..
Asynchrony
What is it called when the cytoplasm and nucleus are different stages? 
Asynchrony
Scene in megaloblastic anemia
What two nutrients can cause megaloblastic anemia?
-Vitamin B12 aka cobalamin
-folate a.k.a. folic acid
_______ is cofactor for folate conversion
B12
Why is thymidine production necessary?
It is one of the four basic nucleotides required for DNA synthesis
Folate circulates in the blood predominantly as what form?
MeTHF (inactive form)
Folic acid or B12 deficiency leads to increased levels of……
Homocystine
Folate requires vitamin B-12 to convert into ______ (Active form), Which is essential to the production of thymidine nucleotides use in DNA production.
THF
B12 metabolism:
B12 binds to _____________ (a Protein) In saliva. 
Haptocorrin
B12 metabolism:
B12 is released from ___________ in small intestine by trypsin, and then bound by _____________, a glycoprotein produced by gastric mucosa parietal cells
Haptocorrin, Intrinsic factor (IF) 
B12 metabolism:
This IF-B12 complex attaches to specific gut mucosal Receptors , is broken apart and then B12 is transferred across the gut lining.
Once in plasma, metabolically active B12 is bound to specific carrier protein, _____________.
Transcobalamin II (TC II)
B12 metabolism:
TC II Then transports B12 to the liver and bone marrow, where it is ____________ By needy cells, and B12 is then released. 
Endocytosed
Normal serum values for B12 range from ______ to _____ ng/L
200, 900
How common is vitamin B 12 deficiency?
Very rare in the US except for strict vegans
Vitamin B 12 deficiency can be due to?
-biologic competition
-Nutritional deficiency
-Malabsorption
What are examples of impaired absorption of vitamin B 12? 
-failure to separate B12 from food proteins
-failure to separate B 12 from Haptocorrin
-Lack of intrinsic factor
-Malabsorption (Celiac, surgical resection of the small bowel, tropical spur, inflammatory disease of the small intestine)