Vitamin E deficiency: pathogenic, clinical, histopathological and electrical features and principal causes

Vitamin E is a generic term denoting eight different isomers among which al pha -tocopherol is the most important and most active. Vitamin E metabolism is closely linked to lipids during intestinal absorption, plasma secretion and transport, and tissue uptake. It is a key compound involved in many ph ysiological processes, such as neurological and immune functions. The most common role of vitamin E is its antioxidant effect, protecting molecules an d tissues against the deleterious effect of free radicals. Vitamin E also c ontributes to the stabilization of biological membranes. In addition, it in tervenes in the regulation of several enzymes and probably has impact on ge ne expression. Advancing knowledge about vitamin E has been achieved with high performance liquid chromatography, making assay accessible to many laboratories, and t he ase of deuterated derivatives to better apprehend its metabolism. Certai n issues remain unresolved concerning the molecular basis of vitamin E's me chanism of action and the exact nature of metabolic dysfunction leading to the clinical manifestations of severe vitamin E deficiency.