TABLE 2.
Plasma kinetic parameters in control and VA- and VARA-supplemented neonatal rat pups dosed orally with [3H]retinol on postnatal day 41
| Variable | Description | Control group | VA group | VARA group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma residence time | Average time a molecule of retinol spends in plasma over multiple transits | 4.8 h | 28.3 h | 14.4 h |
| Plasma transit time | Average time a molecule of retinol spends in plasma during a single transit | 48.6 min | 6.0 min | 8.4 min |
| Organ transit time | Average time a molecule of retinol spends in organs during a single transit | 2.6 d | 20 h | 28 h |
| Fractional catabolic rate | Fraction of plasma retinol utilized irreversibly per day | 5.0 | 0.8 | 1.7 |
| Recycling number | Average number of times a molecule of retinol recycles through plasma before irreversible disposal | 5 | 288 | 100 |
1
VA, vitamin A; VARA, vitamin A combined with retinoic acid.