School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, 99164, USA.
Biol Reprod. 2012 Feb 14;86(2):35. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.111.096610. Print 2012 Feb.
The requirement for vitamin A in reproduction and development was first determined from studies of nutritional deficiencies. Subsequent research has shown that embryonic development and both male and female reproduction are modulated by retinoic acid (RA), the active form of vitamin A. Because RA is active in multiple developmental systems, its synthesis, transport, and degradation are tightly regulated in different tissues. A growing body of evidence implicates RA as a requirement for the initiation of meiosis in both male and female mammals, resulting in a mechanistic model involving the interplay of RA, RA synthesis enzymes, RA receptors, and degradative cytochrome P450 enzymes in this system. Recently, that model has been challenged, prompting a review of the established paradigm. While it remains possible that additional molecules may be involved in regulating entry into meiosis, the weight of evidence supporting a key role for RA is incontrovertible.
维生素 A 在生殖和发育中的需求最初是从营养缺乏研究中确定的。随后的研究表明，视黄酸（RA），即维生素 A 的活性形式，调节胚胎发育和雄性及雌性生殖。由于 RA 在多个发育系统中都具有活性，因此其合成、运输和降解在不同组织中受到严格调控。越来越多的证据表明，RA 是雄性和雌性哺乳动物减数分裂起始的必需物质，这导致了一个涉及 RA、RA 合成酶、RA 受体和该系统中降解细胞色素 P450 酶相互作用的机制模型。最近，该模型受到了挑战，促使人们对既定范式进行了审查。虽然仍有可能有其他分子参与调节进入减数分裂，但支持 RA 关键作用的证据是无可争议的。
