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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pharmacol Ther. 2019 Jan 29;197:153–178. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.01.006

TABLE 1.

RETINOID-BINDING PROTEINS FOUND IN MAMMALS1,2

Original Nomenclature Genetic Nomenclature Ligands Tissue Distribution
Retinol-binding protein (RBP) RBP4 retinol serum/plasma
Cellular retinol-binding protein I (CRBPI) RBP1 retinol & retinal most tissues
Cellular retinol-binding protein II (CRBPII) RBP2 retinol & retinal small intestine
Cellular retinol-Binding protein III (CRBPIII) RBP7 retinol & retinal adipose and muscle
Interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein (IRBP) RBP3 retinol & retinal & other lipids eye, retina retinal pigmented epithelium
Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein I (CRABPI) CRABP1 retinoic acid & metabolites many tissues
Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein II (CRABPII) CRABP2 retinoic acid skin, adipose, others
Fatty acid-binding (FABP5) protein FABP5 fatty acids & retinoic acid adipose, liver, others
1

Table 1 does not provide an inclusive listing of all vitamin A-binding proteins that have been identified in the literature. Rather the listing is limited primarily to those considered in the text.

2

RBP1, RBP2, RBP7, CRABP1, CRABP2, and FABP5 are all members of the fatty acid-binding protein family of proteins. RBP4 is a member of the lipocalin protein family.