The Conversion of Carotene to Vitamin a in Sheep and Cattle

Abstract

It has been established that the conversion of carotene to vitamin A in the sheep occurs in the wall of the intestine. This conclusion is ased on surviving tissue experiments in which sections of intestine have been incubated with carotene and the product conclusively identified as vitamin A by colorimetric and spectrophotometric methods. It is further supported by the high vitamin A levels in intestinal as compared with non-intestinal lymph, and similar observations with cattle suggest the intestine as the site of conversion in this species also.