Why is too much iron dangerous? a. Transferrin, which carries ...

[fagboi]

Why is too much iron dangerous?
 
  a. Transferrin, which carries iron, causes cellular swelling and lysis.
  b. The oxygen carried by excess iron oxidizes neurologic cells.
  c. Iron's breakdown products cause excretion of vitamins C and E.
  d. Free radicals and superoxide formed from ferrous iron plus oxygen damage cell membranes.

Question 2

What would be the likely findings if a bone marrow were performed in a complicated case of iron deficiency
 
  a. Increased myeloid-to-erythroid (M:E) ratio and increased staining with Prussian blue
  b. Shaggy polychromatophilic normoblasts and no staining with Prussian blue
  c. Polychromatophilic normoblasts with copious pink cytoplasm and no staining with Prussian blue
  d. Increased M:E ratio and increased ringed sideroblasts

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Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
When iron exceeds storage capacity, ferrous iron accumulates in cells. Ferrous iron is easily oxidized and in so doing generates superoxide and other free radicals, which are very damaging to cell membranes, mitochondria, and other cell organelles. Cell death and eventual possible organ failure are consequences.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Shaggy polychromatophilic normoblasts are seen because of the asynchronous maturation of developing red cells, with the cytoplasm lagging behind that of the nucleus. Prussian blue is an iron-specific stain; in iron deficiency anemia, iron stores are absent, and sideroblasts and siderocytes are markedly decreased to absent. The M:E ratio is increased late in iron deficiency because fewer red cell precursors exist in the marrow, but no staining with Prussian blue occurs.

[fagboi]

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