Nutrient Effects upon Embryogenesis: Folate, Vitamin A and Iodine

摘要

The period of human 'embryogenesis', the foundation of this chapter, is generally taken to include the initial 8-week period of human development, from fertilization through organogenesis. Knowledge of the effects of nutrients upon the normal development of the embryo during this period typically has been acquired by observation of the effects that accompany some perturbation of the delivery of a given nutrient; therefore this chapter will focus upon the results of 'perturbed' delivery of folic acid, vitamin A, and iodine.While a developmental defect may occur at virtually any time during gestation, only perturbations that occur during embryogenesis can produce major anatomical malformations of organs that develop from the neural tube and the neural crest. Defects of the neural tube and neural crest are the most common and the most devastating in terms of mortality and morbidity, stillbirths, and spontaneous abortions.