Vitamin A
Vitamin A is otherwise known as retinol, which is an intermediary to retinal. or beta carotene. When it is in the form of retinal, this metabolite will act as a light absorbing molecule.
Vitamin A is also an essential component of retanoic acid which is a crucial signalling molecule especially during Early Organogenesis.
It is necessary for low light and colour vision, as it is found in the retina of the eye. Vitamin A is used in the treatment of Rhodopsin-related diseases.
A defficiency of Vitamin A is known to cause night blindness due to its essential role in the ocular system of the body [1][2][3].
Deficiency is more common within developing countries pariculary during infancy when they are not getting sufficient amounts in breast milk. Common symptoms include xerophthalmia, anaemia and increased susceptibility of infection[4].
References
- ↑ Biochemistry 6th edition international edition by Lubert Stryer Jeremy Berg and John Tymoczko
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1131442/
- ↑ http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674(08)01121-5
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/