Final answer:
Collagen is a fibrous protein vital for skin and connective tissues and requires vitamin C for its synthesis. Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency include scurvy, which involves bleeding gums, weak bones, delayed wound healing, and a compromised immune system due to poor collagen deposition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Vitamin C, Collagen, and Deficiency Symptoms
Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen, which is a fibrous protein found in skin and connective tissues. Collagen is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of various tissues in the body and plays a vital role in wound healing. Without adequate vitamin C, collagen synthesis is impaired, leading to a range of deficiency symptoms.
The symptoms of vitamin C deficiency include scurvy, which is characterized by swollen gums, tooth loss, fragile capillaries leading to hemorrhages, delayed wound healing, weak bones that may lead to fractures, and a weakened immune system. Scurvy arises due to poor deposition of collagen, affecting the connective tissues.
In addition to its role in collagen synthesis, vitamin C maintains the redox potential of the cell and is necessary for the conversion of proline to hydroxyproline, which is an important component of collagen. Therefore, a deficiency in vitamin C affects not just the connective tissue metabolism but also several other bodily functions.