resources
February 9, 2008
A Closer Resourceful Look on Vitamin A
Vitamin A is the generic term for compounds that are related to one another. Take for example Retinol and retinal. The former is an alcohol and the latter is an aldehyde. However, both are preformed kinds of Vitamin A.
Retinal is converted to retinoic acid by the body. This is a kind of Vitamin A that affects the gene transcription. Retinol, retinal and retinoic acids are compounds that are related to one another. The beta-carotene and the carotenoids are converted in the body through retinol and are called the pro-vitamin A carotenoids.
The function of Vitamin A in the body is the effect it has on the individuals sight. Retina is found at the back of the eyes. Whenever light goes through the lens, the retina senses this and converts it to the nerves which is interpreted by the brain.
Retinol is later transported to the retina through the circulation. Here it moves into the retinal pigment that is the epithelial cells. Retinol is then esteried and becomes a retinyl ester which is stored. Whenever the eyes need retinyl esters, these are broken apart and then isomerized in order to form an oxidized Vitamin A.
Retinal is then shuttled through the interphotoreceptor that is the rod cells. It binds to the protein that is called opsin in order to formulate the visual pigment that is known as the rhodopsin. The rod cells detect the light, even in small amounts, making it necessary for night vision.
The isomerization process then triggers a cascade of events that lead to the generation of the electric signal through the optic nerve. These impulses are generated by the optic nerve which conveys it to the brain. This is the whole explanation to why we see what we see. This is the whole vision process.
Once these are released by the retinal and converted to retinol, the interphotoreceptor matrix in the retina completes the whole visual cycle. This whole procedure is made easier when the person has an adequate intake of Vitamin A.
The whole point of Vitamin A is that the retinoic acid and the isomers serve as the hormones which affect the genes that influence the physiological process of ones vision. The retinols and retinoic acid proteins all contribute to the cell bound of the retinoic binding proteins.
Within this whole nucleus setting are the receptors which bind all these regions to the retinoic acid response elements or the RARE. Here the dimmer is the complex mixture of two protein molecules.
Vitamin A is also an anti-infective vitamin because it requires the normal functioning of the individuals immune system in order to accommodate the cells located in the skin and the mucus lining as much as possible. The digestive and urinary tract sometimes function as an obstacle and form the first line when it comes to defending the body against infection.
The retinoic acid and Vitamin A play central roles in developing white blood cells. These are critical roles in the response of the individual to lurking diseases. The regulatory cells in the immune system require the RA binding of Vitamin A.
Once fully grown and developed, the Vitamin A in the body may either be excess or lacking. Whatever the scenario, this may lead to complications, therefore the Vitamin A intake must just be the right amount in order to prevent birth defects.
The metabolites in the retinol usually require the integrity and well functioning of the cells in the body in order to become the central operating system in the differentiation and development of the white blood cells in the body.
Vitamin A interacts with other nutrients. For example, the interaction between Vitamin A and zinc is said to be interfering with the metabolism since zinc results to the decrease of synthetic binding in the retinol. This transports retinol into the tissues instead of the circulatory system.
Another interaction is that of Vitamin A with Iron. When this happens, Vitamin A exacerbates iron which leads to anemia. The supplementation must be beneficial on iron as well as Vitamin A in order to improve the status of the individual especially that of children as well as pregnant women.