Effect of oxygen exposure on newborn rabbit lung and liver retinol stores

Newborn rabbit littermates were divided randomly and placed in environments of 21% oxygen or 70-75% oxygen for 68 hours. At that time lungs and liver were removed, and retinoids were measured by HPLC with methanol as the mobile phase. Lungs exposed to 70-75% oxygen had less retinol than controls, and livers of oxygen exposed animals had less retinyl palmitate and retinyl stearate than control animals. This effect of oxygen on newborn lung and liver retinol stores has not previously been reported.