title: Function of the fat-soluble vitamins.
abstract: Much has been learned about the function of the fat-soluble vitamins in recent years. Their mechanisms are divergent ranging from a role in transcription of DNA or differentiation to a direct enzymatic activation of the gamma-carboxylation of glutamate residues of a preexisting protein. Thus the only resemblance so far among these physiologically active agents is their lipid solubility. However, in general the fat-soluble vitamins play important roles in specialized functions carried out by highly differentiated organisms.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000502:physiology; D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000502:physiology; D012643:Selenium / Q000502:physiology; D012995:Solubility; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000502:physiology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000502:physiology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000502:physiology*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols; D008055:Lipids; D014801:Vitamin A; D014812:Vitamin K; D014807:Vitamin D; D014810:Vitamin E; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D012643:Selenium; D012172:Retinaldehyde