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

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

5.5K
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...
5.5K
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health01:25

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

3.6K
The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
3.6K
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

6.3K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
6.3K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

43.4K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
43.4K
Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

955
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...
955
Transduction01:16

Transduction

90
Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome...
90

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Evaluation of the vitamin D response index in a Saudi cohort.

Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society·2026
Same author

From Sunlight to Signaling: Evolutionary Integration of Vitamin D and Sterol Metabolism.

Metabolites·2026
Same author

Circadian Regulation of Vitamin D Target Genes Reveals a Network Shaped by Individual Responsiveness.

Nutrients·2025
Same author

A Nutrigenomic View on the Premature-Aging Disease Fanconi Anemia.

Nutrients·2024
Same author

In vivo vitamin D target genes interconnect key signaling pathways of innate immunity.

PloS one·2024
Same author

Vitamin D and Aging: Central Role of Immunocompetence.

Nutrients·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 3, 2025

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
10:46

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data

Published on: December 9, 2015

10.8K

Vitamin D in the Context of Evolution.

Carsten Carlberg1,2

  • 1Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland.

Nutrients
|July 27, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Vitamin D

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Human physiology

Background:

  • Eukaryotes synthesize sterols, enabling vitamin D production via UV-B exposure for over 1.2 billion years.
  • Vitamin D endocrinology evolved in animals ~550 million years ago, involving the vitamin D receptor (VDR), transport proteins, and metabolic enzymes.
  • Early roles of vitamin D included regulating detoxification and energy metabolism, later expanding to immune system modulation and calcium homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To trace the evolutionary history and expanding roles of vitamin D endocrinology.
  • To understand vitamin D's adaptation from early physiological regulation to its role as a nutrient in humans.
  • To explore the co-evolution of vitamin D with immune responses, skeletal development, and environmental factors.

Main Methods:

Keywords:
calcium homeostasisenergy metabolismevolutionimmune systemmigration of Homo sapiensvitamin D

More Related Videos

Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Alveolar Periosteum and Effects of Vitamin D on Osteogenic Activity of Periosteum-derived Cells
06:47

Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Alveolar Periosteum and Effects of Vitamin D on Osteogenic Activity of Periosteum-derived Cells

Published on: May 4, 2018

9.5K
In Vivo Augmentation of Gut-Homing Regulatory T Cell Induction
08:02

In Vivo Augmentation of Gut-Homing Regulatory T Cell Induction

Published on: January 22, 2020

5.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 3, 2025

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
10:46

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data

Published on: December 9, 2015

10.8K
Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Alveolar Periosteum and Effects of Vitamin D on Osteogenic Activity of Periosteum-derived Cells
06:47

Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Alveolar Periosteum and Effects of Vitamin D on Osteogenic Activity of Periosteum-derived Cells

Published on: May 4, 2018

9.5K
In Vivo Augmentation of Gut-Homing Regulatory T Cell Induction
08:02

In Vivo Augmentation of Gut-Homing Regulatory T Cell Induction

Published on: January 22, 2020

5.5K
  • Comparative evolutionary analysis of vitamin D's role across taxa.
  • Tracing the development of key molecular components like VDR and metabolic enzymes.
  • Correlating environmental changes (UV-B exposure, terrestrial transition) with functional shifts in vitamin D endocrinology.

Main Results:

  • Vitamin D's functions evolved from metabolic regulation to immune modulation and calcium homeostasis.
  • The VDR, transport proteins, and metabolic enzymes co-evolved with vitamin D's functions.
  • Human migration into regions with low UV-B necessitated vitamin D intake as a nutrient, highlighting its adaptive significance.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin D endocrinology is an ancient system with progressively complex roles, crucial for survival and adaptation.
  • The evolution of vitamin D is intrinsically linked to environmental pressures and the development of complex physiological systems.
  • Understanding vitamin D's evolutionary journey provides insights into its current physiological importance and nutritional requirements.