STUDIES ON METABOLISM OF VITAMIN A. 3. THE MODE OF ABSORPTION OF VITAMIN A ESTERS IN THE LIVING RAT

Abstract

Since the work of Gray, Margareidge & Cawley (1940) with rats, followed by that of Eden & Sellers (1950) with other animals, it has been generally believed that during absorption extensive hydrolysis followed by resynthesis of vitamin A esters takes place in the intestine. In previous communications from this Laboratory it was shown that, when vitamin A alcohol or acetate is given orally, the vitamin is ultimately stored in the liver as the palmnitate (Mahadevan, Krishnamurthy & Ganguly, 1959; Mahadevan & Ganguly, 1961).