Folate, serum

Folates are a class of vitamin compounds related to pteroylglutamic acid (PGA), which serve as cofactors
in the enzymatic transfer of single carbon units in a variety of metabolic pathways Folates are necessary for nucleic acid and mitochondrial protein synthesis, amino acid metabolism, and other cellular processes that involve single carbon transfers Because deficiencies of both vitamin B12 and folate can lead to megaloblastic (macrocytic) anemia, appropriate treatment requires differential diagnosis of the deficiency; thus, both vitamin B12 and folate values are needed.folate values reflect the second stage of negative folate balance, and more closely correlate with tissue levels and megaloblastic anemia.