Final answer:
Sideroblastic anemia is an anemia caused by defective protoporphyrin synthesis, leading to an impaired ability to produce normal red blood cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sideroblastic anemia is an anemia caused by defective protoporphyrin synthesis. Protoporphyrin is a molecule that binds to iron to form heme, which is an essential component of hemoglobin in red blood cells. In sideroblastic anemia, the synthesis of protoporphyrin is disrupted, leading to an impaired ability to produce normal red blood cells. This condition can be inherited or acquired, and it is characterized by the presence of ringed sideroblasts in the bone marrow.