Effects of supplemental beta-carotene and vitamin A on reproduction in swine.

Since its discovery some 80 yr ago, many advances have been made in understanding the many diverse roles of vitamin A (retinoids). Among these are the critical roles that vitamin A plays in regulating reproduction in both the male and female. The identification of retinol-binding proteins produced by the pig uterus and conceptus marks an exciting event. It will be pivotal to future efforts in elucidating the mechanism by which retinoids regulate conceptus development and steroidogenesis. However, relatively little is known of the possible direct role played by its provitamin, beta-carotene, in controlling reproduction in the pig. However, future research likely will address this aspect of carotenoid function.