Fat-Soluble Vitamins Flashcards
What are the Fat Soluble Vitamins?
ADEK
General properties for fat soluble vitamins?
- require bile and fats for absorption
- excess stored in liver and adipose tissue
- not readily excreted (because of efficient enterohepatic circulation); results in increased risk of toxicity
How are vitamins unbound to proteins?
Vitamins are bound to proteins as we eat them, but once in the stomach, proteins are degraded into small peptides releasing vitamins.
Where does absorption occur for fat-soluble vitamins?
In the jejunum
Explain how absorption of fat-soluble vitamins occur
In the jejunum, fat-soluble vitamins forms micelle with bile salts allowing them to be passively transported into the intestinal enterocytes.
What occurs once the micelle enters the intestinal enterocyte?
In the enterocytes, micelles are packaged into chylomicrons and released into the lymphatic system. Once inside the lymphatic system, chylomicrons travel up the thoracic duct and enter the left subclavian vein.
Where do we obtain vitamin A from?
Either from animal foods in the form of retinyl esters or from plant foods as beta carotene
Discuss the conversion of the different forms of vitamin A in the body.
Retinol (which comes from retinyl esters) to retinal (which comes fro beta-carotene) is reversible. Retinal to retinoic acid is irreversible.
Sources of vitamin A
liver, sweet potatoes and carrots
Does the ingestion of equal amounts of beta carotene and retinyl esters yield similar amounts of vitamin A?
No. The absorption of beta carotene is not as efficient as that of retinyl ester
What is the form of vitamin A circulating in chylomicrons?
Retinyl ester
Where is retinyl ester converted to retinol?
In the hepatocyte
After conversion from retinyl ester to retinol, where is retinol stored?
Retinol is transported into stellatte cells for storage
What are stellate cells?
Account for 5%-8% of the cells in the liver. In a healthy liver, stellate cells are quiescent and contain numerous vitamin A lipid droplets, constituting the largest reservoir of vitamin A in the body
Function of retinol?
Supports reproduction and major transport and storage form
Function of retinal?
Active in vision
Function of retinoic acid?
Regulates cell differentiation, growth, and embryonic development
Function of beta-carotene?
Antioxidant
Why is retinoic acid unique?
Retinoic acid functions as a transcription factor, which means it participates in protein synthesis and cell differentiation through regulating gene expression (via RAR - its nuclear receptor)
Name specific cells affected by retinoic acid
Retinoic acid promotes differentation of both epithelial cels and goblet cells which protects mucous membranes
Pharamacological use of retinoids?
- Retinoic acid - treatment of acute promyelocytic anemia
- Tretionin - specifically Retin-A - treatment for acne, agining, dark pigments
- Isotretinoin - specifically accutane - oral treatment for cystic acne but is a teratogenic, therefore women who are using Accutane are required to use reliable forms of birth control
What is the pigment molecule found in rods (a cell of the retina)
Rhodopsin
What is rhodopsin?
Rhodopsin is composed of a protein caled opsin which is bonded to a molecule of retinal.
Explain how light affects the conformation of rhodopsin
As light interacts with rhodopsin, retinal changes from cis to trans configuration. Configuration change (cis to trans) releases retinal from opsin. Alone, opsin initiates a signal transduction cascade to nerve cells that communicate with the brain’s visual center. Trans retinal is enzymatically converted back to cis retinal which combines with opsin to regenerate rhodopsin.
What is a primary deficiency?
Inadequate intake
What is a secondary deficiency?
Poor absorption of fats
What is a deficiency in vitamin A called?
Hypovitaminosis A
What diseases can cause a secondary deficiency in vitamin A?
Cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, liver disease, excessive alcohol intake
Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency?
Night blindness . If left untreated, it can progress to complete blindness known as xerophthalmia
Explain how a deficiency in vitamin A can lead to dry eyes.
Reduction in goblet cells and production of mucin leads to dry eyes.
Other changes developing with vitamin A deficiency
Bitot spots, corneal ulcer and keratomalacia
What causes corneal ulcers (keratitis)?
Due to inflammation of cornea
What causes keratomalacia?
Due to softening of the cornea