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Review
. 2011 Jan;3(1):27-39.
doi: 10.3390/nu3010027. Epub 2011 Jan 6.

Vitamin A metabolism and adipose tissue biology

Simone K Frey  1 , Silke Vogel
Affiliations
Review

Vitamin A metabolism and adipose tissue biology

Simone K Frey et al. Nutrients. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of vitamin A in adipose tissue biology, obesity and type II diabetes has become apparent. This review focuses on recent developments within the area of vitamin A and adipose tissue biology. Adipose tissue has an active vitamin A metabolism as it not only stores vitamin A but retinol is also converted to its active metabolite retinoic acid. Several mouse models point to a relationship between vitamin A metabolism and the development of adiposity. Similarly, in vitro studies provide new molecular mechanisms for the function of different forms of vitamin A and retinol- or retinoic acid-binding proteins in adipose tissue.

Keywords: adipogenesis; adipose tissue; beta-carotene; cellular retinol-binding protein; retinoic acid; retinol.

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