Embryology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Embryology, including details on stem cells, reproduction, transplants, cloning.

Sequestration of retinyl esters is essential for retinoid signaling in the zebrafish embryo.

Isken A, Holzschuh J, Lampert JM, Fischer L, Oberhauser V, Palczewski K, von Lintig J

Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Biology I, Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.

For vertebrate development, vitamin A (all-trans retinol) is required in quantitative different amounts and spatiotemporal distribution for the production of retinoic acid, a nuclear hormone receptor ligand, and 11-cis retinal, the chromophore of visual pigments. We show here for zebrafish that embryonic retinoid homeostasis essentially depends on the activity of a leci-thin:retinol acyltransferase (Lratb). During embryogenesis, lratb is expressed in mostly non-overlapping domains opposite to retinal dehydrogenase 2 (raldh2), the key enzyme for retinoic acid synthesis. Blocking retinyl ester formation by a targeted knock down of Lratb results in significantly increased retinoic acid levels, which lead to severe embryonic patterning defects. Thus, we provide evidence that a balanced competition between Lratb and Raldh2 for yolk vitamin A defines embryonic compartments either for retinyl ester or retinoic acid synthesis. This homeostatic mechanism dynamically adjusts embryonic retinoic acid levels for gene regulation, concomitantly sequestering excess yolk vitamin A in the form of retinyl esters for the establishment of larval vision later during development.

Published 8 January 2007 in J Biol Chem, 282(2): 1144-51.
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