Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced in our...
Introduction to Plant Diversity02:22

Introduction to Plant Diversity

From Water to Land
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition02:35

Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the atmosphere, the...
Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores02:26

Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores

Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.
Sulfur Assimilation01:20

Sulfur Assimilation

Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to become...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Control of strawberry ripening through melatonin-auxin association.

Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB·2026
Same author

Improving tomato production while preserving fruit quality with Carpobrotus edulis extract as a biostimulant: a valorization approach for an invasive plant species.

Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology·2026
Same author

Forests shaped by historical human tragedies: Insights from Europe's oldest angiosperms.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Vestigial plastids.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same author

Fine scale gene expression dynamics at the foliar level reveal grapevine strategies to cope with recurrent drought stress.

BMC plant biology·2026
Same author

Evolutionary shifts in plant adaptation mediated by phytohormones.

Plant communications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade
09:50

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade

Published on: August 14, 2019

Vitamins in plants: occurrence, biosynthesis and antioxidant function.

M Amparo Asensi-Fabado1, Sergi Munné-Bosch

  • 1Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, Facultat de Biologia, Avinguda Diagonal 645, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.

Trends in Plant Science
|August 24, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Plant vitamins are crucial for human health and metabolism. This review explores their antioxidant roles, occurrence, and biosynthesis, particularly examining evidence for and against B vitamins acting as antioxidants.

More Related Videos

A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
11:56

A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells

Published on: April 11, 2014

Catalytic Scavenging of Plant Reactive Oxygen Species In Vivo by Anionic Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles
09:46

Catalytic Scavenging of Plant Reactive Oxygen Species In Vivo by Anionic Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

Published on: August 26, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade
09:50

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade

Published on: August 14, 2019

A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
11:56

A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells

Published on: April 11, 2014

Catalytic Scavenging of Plant Reactive Oxygen Species In Vivo by Anionic Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles
09:46

Catalytic Scavenging of Plant Reactive Oxygen Species In Vivo by Anionic Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

Published on: August 26, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Plant biochemistry
  • Human health and nutrition

Background:

  • Plant-derived vitamins are vital for human health, acting as essential cofactors in metabolism.
  • Vitamins possess significant antioxidant properties, encompassing both water-soluble (B, C) and lipid-soluble (A, E, K) forms.
  • Understanding plant vitamin roles is crucial for nutritional science.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding the antioxidant functions of plant vitamins.
  • To provide a comprehensive overview of vitamin occurrence, biosynthesis, and localization within plants.
  • To critically evaluate the evidence for and against a significant antioxidant role of B vitamins in plants.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent scientific publications.
  • Synthesis of data on vitamin occurrence across plant species, organs, and subcellular compartments.
  • Analysis of major biosynthetic pathways and their precursors.
  • Evaluation of evidence regarding antioxidant functions, with a focus on B vitamins.

Main Results:

  • Vitamins are essential for plant and animal metabolism due to their redox chemistry and cofactor roles.
  • Both water- and lipid-soluble vitamins exhibit antioxidant potential.
  • The review details vitamin distribution, biosynthesis, and localization in plants.
  • Novel and contradictory evidence regarding the antioxidant capacity of B vitamins is presented.

Conclusions:

  • Plant vitamins are integral to metabolic processes and possess antioxidant capabilities.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the specific antioxidant roles of different vitamins, especially B vitamins, in plants.
  • This review consolidates current knowledge on plant vitamins, highlighting areas for future investigation.