Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,506,598,761 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

vitamin A
(redirected from vitamin A A2)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.07 sec.

vitamin A

 also called retinol

Fat-soluble alcohol, most abundant in fatty fish and especially in fish-liver oils. It is not found in plants, but many vegetables and fruits contain beta-carotene (see carotene), which is readily converted in the body to vitamin A. It functions directly in vision, especially night vision. A derivative, retinaldehyde, is a component of the visual pigments, including rhodopsin, in the retina. Humans require vitamin A in very small amounts. Unlike carotenes, it is toxic in large amounts and is readily destroyed by exposure to heat, light, or air.



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
? Mentioned in
 
Encyclopedia browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.