Expression of retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDH) - enzymes that catalyzate retinoid acid synthesis in mammalian tissues during early embryonic eye development

Retinoid acid (RA) plays an important role in the regulation of early embryonic development and in particularly in eye development. To reveal possible influence of RALD H - enzymes on RA synthesis in mamalian tissues, in supplying RA for the eye development we have studied expression of these enzymes during early eye formation. The investigations enabled to find out that all three RALD H (RALD H 1, 2 and 3) are expressed during eye development in unique non-overlapping patterns, which correlate with RA activity in the same tissues. Thus it presents important role of these enzymes for providing RA in the eye development.