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How can the deficiency of vitamin A cause blindness? 

Difficulty: Medium

Importance of vitamin A/Function of vitamin A:

Vitamin A was the first fat-soluble vitamin identified in 1913). It performs the following functions

  1. Vitamin A combines with a protein called opsin to form rhodopsin in the rod cells of the retina of the eye. When vitamin A is inadequate, the lack of rhodopsin makes it difficult to see in dim light.
  2. It is involved in normal cell differentiation, a process through which embryonic cells transform into mature cells with highly specific functions.
  3. Vitamin A supports male and female reproductive processes and bone growth.

iv. It is essential for immune function and vitamin-A deficiency causes decreased resistance to infections. 

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