Identification of 14-hydroxy-retro-retinol and 4-hydroxy-retinol as endogenous retinoids in rats throughout neonatal development

14-Hydroxy-retro-retinol was previously described as an in vivo and in vitro metabolite of retinol. Furthermore, the retinoid 4-hydroxy-retinol was identified as an endogenous occurring retinoid in the amphibian organism and an in vitro metabolite of retinol. We describe in the present study that 14-hydroxy-retro-retinol and 4-hydroxy-retinol are present in normal neonatal rat serum as endogenous occurring retinoids in normal non-vitamin A supplemented mammals (rats). Both retinoids were detected in serum and liver of neonatal rats at days 3 and 11 after birth. The respective concentrations at day 11 after birth were 41.8 +/- 2.8 ng/ml (serum)/ 104 +/- 6 ng/g (liver) for 4-hydroxy-retinol and 23 +/- 4.6 ng/ml (serum)/ 285 +/- 5 ng/g (liver) for 14-hydroxy-retro-retinol. Both retinoids could not be detected in adult rat serum and liver. From our experiments important physiological functions of these retinoids during postnatal development could be postulated.