The Fate of Excess Vitamin A Stores During Depletion

Some factors influencing the release of vitamin A from the liver

“…These findings further indicate the different mode of storage of excessively large quantities of vitamin A in the liver (cf. Popper & Brenner, 1942).…”

“…It seems reasonable to assume a relatively constant tissue requirement for vitamin A and that it is supplied through a release of vitamin A alcohol into the blood from the liver. However, the rate of loss from the liver is related to the magnitude of liver reserves and an animal does not appear always to use its vitamin A reserves, particularly when they are high, to the best advantage (Moore, 1957); the vitamin may be destroyed in the Kupffer cells (Popper & Brenner, 1942) or released into the body for destruction elsewhere. In the latter connexion the persistence of high levels of vitamin A ester in the blood, long after dosing with vitamin A had ceased, of a patient suffering from hypervitaminosis A (Gerber, Raab & Sobel, 1954) is most interesting.…”

The effect of hypervitaminosis A and other dietary factors on the young pig

“…Kupffer cells of the liver apparently store excesses of vitamin A, but "true" liver storage of the vitamin occurs in the liver cells proper (Popper and Brenner, 1942). Berdjis (1963) reported that excess vitamin A in rats resulted in in creased size and number of mast cells, especially in the lymph nodes, gastrointestinal submucosa, and subcutaneous tissues.…”