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Erythrocytes and Anaemia
Concepts tested here
- Megaloblastic anaemia
All Questions
2006 AIPMT-PRE 1 question
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Examination of blood of a person suspected of having anemia, shows large, immature, nucleated erythrocytes without haemoglobin. Supplementing his diet with which of the following is likely to alleviate his symptoms ?Large, immature, nucleated red blood cells in the blood are called megaloblasts, and the condition is megaloblastic (macrocytic) anaemia.
The maturation of red blood cells in the bone marrow requires folic acid and vitamin $B_{12}$ (cobalamine), because both are needed for the synthesis of DNA.
When they are deficient, DNA synthesis and cell division are slowed while the cells keep growing, so large, immature, nucleated cells are released into the blood.
Deficiency of vitamin $B_{12}$ in particular causes pernicious anaemia.
So supplementing the diet with folic acid and cobalamine is likely to relieve the symptoms.
Iron deficiency causes a different anaemia, in which the red cells are small and pale (microcytic, hypochromic).
Thiamine ($B_1$) deficiency causes beri-beri and riboflavin ($B_2$) deficiency causes cheilosis.