Knowra Folate Folate Folate is a family of water-soluble B vitamins, also called vitamin B9, that transfer one-carbon units in reactions needed for DNA synthesis, amino-acid metabolism, and cell division.
Tetrahydrofolate : The reduced, metabolically active form of folate that carries one-carbon units in several chemical states. It is the central carrier that makes folate’s one-carbon chemistry possible.
Folic acid fortification : The addition of folic acid to staple foods to increase population folate intake. Fortification reduces the risk of neural tube defects by raising folate status before and during early pregnancy.
Folic acid : A stable, oxidized form of vitamin B9 used in supplements and food fortification. It is the synthetic form, unlike the naturally occurring reduced folates in foods.
Vitamin B12 : A water-soluble vitamin required for methyl transfer, DNA synthesis, and normal nervous-system function. B12 deficiency can trap folate in a form unavailable for other reactions, producing overlapping blood abnormalities.
One-carbon metabolism : A network of reactions that transfers single-carbon units for biosynthesis, methylation, and other cellular processes. Folate is a major carrier within this network.
Neural tube defects : Birth defects caused by incomplete closure of the embryonic neural tube, including spina bifida and anencephaly. Adequate folic acid before conception and in early pregnancy lowers their incidence.
Dietary folate equivalents : A unit that adjusts folate intake for differences in the absorption of food folate and folic acid. It allows dietary recommendations to compare sources with different bioavailability.
Vitamin B6 : A water-soluble vitamin whose active form, pyridoxal phosphate, serves as a cofactor in many amino-acid reactions. It supports homocysteine metabolism through a pathway distinct from folate-dependent remethylation.
Thymidylate synthase : An enzyme that converts deoxyuridine monophosphate into thymidine monophosphate using a folate-derived cofactor. This reaction supplies a DNA nucleotide and converts its folate cofactor to dihydrofolate.
Megaloblastic anemia : An anemia marked by unusually large, immature red-cell precursors, often caused by impaired DNA synthesis. Folate deficiency can disrupt DNA replication in developing blood cells and cause this anemia.
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