Vitamin A refers collectively to a number of compounds, the most biologically active of which is retinol. Named after its earliest discovered function, visual excitation, retinol is also needed for growth and reproduction, and differentiation of epithelial tissue. A closely related form, retinoic acid, has selective biologic activity for normal growth and epithelial differentiation. The term retinoids has been used in recent years to include both natural and synthetic analogs of vitamin A. Carotene and carotenoids refer to vitamin A precursors (pro-vitamins) of vegetable origin. Following a brief historical account of vitamin A and description of dietary information this article focuses on the chemistry and physiology of retinoids. The biological roles of vitamin A compounds are elaborated, as well as the clinical significance of vitamin A deficiency and excess. Discussion of retinoids in therapy includes their use as anti-cancer agents and as therapeutics for dermatological disorders. Finally, a review of analytical techniques for laboratory assessment of vitamin A is presented.
维生素A是指多种化合物，其中生物活性最强的是视黄醇。视黄醇因最早被发现的功能——视觉兴奋而得名，它对生长、繁殖以及上皮组织的分化也很重要。一种密切相关的形式——视黄酸，对正常生长和上皮分化具有选择性生物活性。近年来，类视黄醇一词被用来涵盖维生素A的天然和合成类似物。胡萝卜素和类胡萝卜素是指植物来源的维生素A前体（维生素原）。在对维生素A进行简要的历史回顾并描述饮食信息之后，本文重点关注类视黄醇的化学和生理学。阐述了维生素A化合物的生物学作用，以及维生素A缺乏和过量的临床意义。类视黄醇在治疗中的讨论包括它们作为抗癌药物和皮肤病治疗药物的用途。最后，介绍了用于实验室评估维生素A的分析技术。
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