What are Some Common Nutritional Deficiencies and Their Histological Manifestations?
Vitamin D Deficiency A lack of vitamin D can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Histologically, you may observe poorly mineralized bone matrix and widened osteoid seams. The deficiency hampers the mineralization of the bone, leading to soft and deformed bones.
Iron Deficiency Iron deficiency leads to anemia, which can be identified histologically by the presence of hypochromic (pale) and microcytic (small) red blood cells. The bone marrow may show increased erythropoiesis with a predominance of immature red blood cells.
Vitamin B12 and Folate Deficiency Deficiencies in vitamin B12 and folate can result in megaloblastic anemia. Histologically, this is characterized by the presence of large, immature red blood cells (megaloblasts) in the bone marrow. Additionally, there may be hypersegmented neutrophils in the peripheral blood smear.
