Biochemistry: Overview of Vitamins

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10 Questions

Which type of vitamins are readily excreted in the urine and can lead to quick deficiencies?

Water soluble vitamins

In which tissues or systems do fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A get stored in significant quantities?

Liver and adipose tissue

What is the role of Vitamin A in the human body?

Vision, reproduction, growth, and maintenance of epithelial tissues

Which organic compounds cannot be synthesized in adequate quantities by humans and must be supplied by the diet?

Vitamins

What is the primary method of transport for fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A?

Chylomicrons

What is the role of retinoic acid in the body?

Mediating most of the actions of the retinoids, except for vision

Which form of vitamin A predominates in nature?

Vitamin A1

What is the main source of carotenes that serve as precursors of vitamin A?

Yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables and fruits

How does vitamin A and its carotene precursors get absorbed in the body?

Absorbed in the small intestine and stored in the liver

Which is a characteristic of cone cells in the retina?

Specialized for color and detail vision in bright light

Study Notes

Vitamins and Nutrition

  • Water-soluble vitamins are readily excreted in the urine and can lead to quick deficiencies.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

  • Fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A get stored in significant quantities in the liver and adipose tissue.
  • Vitamin A plays a crucial role in the human body, including maintaining healthy vision, immune function, and gene transcription.
  • Fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A primarily rely on chylomicrons for transport.

Vitamin A and Carotenes

  • Vitamin A is an essential organic compound that cannot be synthesized in adequate quantities by humans and must be supplied by the diet.
  • Retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A, plays a key role in gene transcription and cell differentiation.
  • The predominant form of vitamin A in nature is beta-carotene.
  • The main source of carotenes that serve as precursors of vitamin A is green leafy vegetables and yellow-orange fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin A Absorption and Function

  • Vitamin A and its carotene precursors get absorbed in the body through emulsification and micelle formation in the small intestine.
  • Cone cells in the retina, which are responsible for color vision and high-acuity vision, have a characteristic of being sensitive to light and containing vitamin A-derived rhodopsin.

Test your knowledge on the overview and classification of vitamins in biochemistry. Learn about the two groups of vitamins based on their solubility and their importance in human nutrition.

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