Tag: Squamous metaplasia

Historically, severe vitamin A deficiency (VAD) has been the leading preventable cause of childhood blindness worldwide, but research shows it also directly impacts cellular structure. Specifically, a shortage of this essential fat-soluble nutrient is directly linked to the development of squamous metaplasia, a condition where normal, specialized epithelial cells are replaced by less specialized squamous cells.

Approximately 250,000 to 500,000 children globally become blind each year due to vitamin A deficiency, a condition that is a well-established answer to what vitamin deficiency can result in metaplasia. This vitamin plays a crucial, though often overlooked, role in maintaining the normal differentiation of epithelial tissues throughout the body.

Research dating back to the early 20th century definitively established that vitamin A deficiency is the primary cause of squamous metaplasia, a condition where specialized cells are replaced by non-specialized squamous cells. This cellular transformation compromises the integrity and function of vital bodily tissues.

Research dating back to the 1920s has linked severe nutritional deficiencies to epithelial cell changes in various organs. Specifically, studies have shown that a **vitamin A deficiency causes squamous metaplasia** in the pancreatic duct and other tissues.