The Vitamin A Laboratory (VitAL) research program: fundamental insight into vitamin A metabolism

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Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient, required to maintain good health in humans and other animals. Since its discovery over 100 years ago, much has been learned about vitamin A biology; however, there remain fundamental gaps in our knowledge concerning its metabolism and function. Vitamin A is required to fulfill some of the body’s most basic functions, with critical roles in vision, immunity and reproduction. The necessity of adequate vitamin A intake is highlighted in the developing world, where its deficiency is associated with high infant mortality and childhood blindness. Although vitamin A deficiency is not a major issue in Canada, the contribution of impaired vitamin A function to certain cancers, birth defects and metabolic diseases, underscores its importance. With this in mind, the overall goal of the Vitamin A Laboratory’s (VitAL) research program is to improve our understanding of basic vitamin A biology.