Megaloblastosis: From Morphos to Molecules

Megaloblastosis (i.e., megaloblastic transformation of erythroid precursor cells in the bone marrow) is the cytomorphological hallmark of megaloblastic anemia resulting from vitamin B12 and folate deficiency. It is characterized by a finely stippled lacy pattern of nuclear chromatin, which is believed to be an expression of deranged cellular DNA synthesis. However, the molecular basis of these cytomorphological aberrations still remains obscure. The current presentation describes the results of our studies on some molecular events associated with the development of megaloblastosis.