Vitamin A Absorption, Storage and Mobilization
Abstract
It is well established that chylomicron remnant (dietary) vitamin A is taken up from the circulation by hepatocytes, but more than 80 % of the vitamin A in the liver is stored in hepatic stellate cells (HSC). It presently is not known how vitamin A is transferred from hepatocytes to HSCs for storage. Since retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), a protein that is required for mobilizing stored vitamin A, is synthesized solely by hepatocytes and not HSCs, it similarly is not known how vitamin A is transferred from HSCs to hepatocytes. Although it has long been thought that RBP4 is absolutely essential for delivering vitamin A to tissues, recent research has proven that this notion is incorrect since total RBP4-deficiency is not lethal. In addition to RBP4, vitamin A is also found in the circulation bound to lipoproteins and as retinoic acid bound to albumin. It is not known how these different circulating pools of vitamin A contribute to the vitamin A needs of different tissues. In our view, better insight into these three issues is required to better understand vitamin A absorption, storage and mobilization. Here, we provide an up to date synthesis of current knowledge regarding the intestinal uptake of dietary vitamin A, the storage of vitamin A within the liver, and the mobilization of hepatic vitamin A stores, and summarize areas where our understanding of these processes is incomplete.
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Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that the human body cannot synthesize on its own and must ingest.
“Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient, which means that the human body cannot synthesize it on its own and must be ingested.”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
All-trans-retinoic acid is crucial for reproduction, growth and development of the embryo, normal brain function, immune system functioning, skeletal development, growth of hair and nails, and epithelial cell RNA synthesis including the conjunctiva and cornea.
“It is crucial for reproduction, growth and development of the embryo, normal brain function, immune system functioning, skeletal development, growth of hair and nails, and epithelial cell RNA synthesis including the conjunctiva and cornea.”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
All-trans-retinoic acid is an essential signalling molecule in cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis, and participates in gene transcription.
“All-trans-retinoic acid is an essential signalling molecule in cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis, and participates in gene transcription.”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
Vitamin A is stored in the body in the form of retinyl ester; the highest amounts are stored in the liver, but it is also found in adipose tissue, lungs and the RPE.
“The highest amounts of vitamin A are stored in the liver, but it is also found in adipose tissue, lungs and the RPE [2,3,4,5,6].”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
One of the most important functions of vitamin A is its involvement in visual phototransduction, where it serves as the crucial part of photopigment.
“One of the most important vitamin A functions is its involvement in visual phototransduction, where it serves as the crucial part of photopigment, the first molecule in the process of transforming photons of light into electrical signals.”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
The two major biologically active forms of vitamin A are 11-cis-retinal and all-trans-retinoic acid.
“The two major biologically active forms are 11-cis-retinal and all-trans-retinoic acid.”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
The primary role of 11-cis-retinal is visual perception.
“The primary role of 11-cis-retinal is visual perception [1,2].”
From The Role of Vitamin A in Retinal Diseases (2022) · cites this paper as [2]
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References 132 · Cited by 161
- Authors
- Blaner, W. S., Li, Y., Brun, P.-J., Yuen, J. J., Lee, S.-A., & Clugston, R. D.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Blaner, William S.
- Venue
- Subcellular Biochemistry
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Published
- 2016
- Volume
- 81
- Pages
- 95-125
- ISSN
- 0306-0225 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2551241918
- Cited by
- 161
- References
- 132
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 10.70
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Sub-cellular biochemistry/Subcellular biochemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Retinoids in leukemia and cellular processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Keywords
- vitamin A, vitamin A absorption, vitamin A storage, hepatic stellate cells, hepatocytes, retinol-binding protein 4, chylomicron remnants, intestinal absorption, retinol, retinoic acid, lipoproteins
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Animals, Biological Transport, Carotenoids, Chylomicrons, Forecasting, Humans, Intestinal Absorption, Lipoproteins, Liver, Models, Biological, Serum Albumin, Vitamin A, Vitamin A Deficiency, Hepatocytes, Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma, Hepatic Stellate Cells
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