Retinoic acid--a review.

: Retinoic acid (RA) is now considered anormal metabolite of vitamin A. It has been established that RA maintains health and supports growth in animals but differs from other forms of vitamin A in that RA does not function in visual or reproductive processes. RA and RA analogs also differ from other forms of vitamin A in: absorption, transport, metabolism, storage, turnover, biochemical functions, excretion, pharmacology, and toxicology.