HSC 4555 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Hemoglobin, Iron-Deficiency Anemia, Niacin
Document Summary
Dietary sources of iron, protein, vitamins and minerals, particularly b12, folate, b6, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, ascorbic acid, and vitamin e, are all necessary for normal red blood cell production. In addition, intrinsic factor is required to absorb vitamin b12 in the ileum, erythropoietin is needed to stimulate the production of red blood cells, and functional bone marrow is required for erythrocyte production (pgs. Nearly all of the oxygen transported in blood is bound to hemoglobin within the red cells, with only 3% dissolved in plasma. Carbon dioxide is transported in the blood as dissolved gas, as bicarbonate ion, and in association with hemoglobin (pg. The red blood cell count is used to detect anemia, or a deficit of red blood cells resulting in a low hemoglobin and hematocrit, and polycythemia, an excess of red cells resulting in a high hemoglobin and hematocrit.
