Retina / Visual cycle / Vitamin A deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency
- vitamin A (retinol) is a fat-soluble vitamin found in fish oils, liver and dairy products
- it can also be absorbed indirectly in the form of carotenoids such as beta carotene (2 retinol molecules)
- retinoids are toxic and insoluble in aqueous solutions, therefore they are typically chaperoned by specific transport molecules
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involved in vision, immune system function, bone growth, epithelial growth and repair and embryonic development
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deficiency is common in developing countries and HIV patients
- the first symptoms of vitamin A deficiency are night blindness (due to loss of 11-cis-retinol), dry skin/hair, broken fingernails and a decreased ability to fight infections