Effects of mild vitamin a deficiency on lung maturation in newborn rats: a morphometric and morphologic study.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a 60% vitamin A deficiency (VAD) on the two postnatal stages of lung development: alveolarization and microvascular maturation. Lungs from deficient rats were compared to age-matched controls.

Study Design: Starting at 3 weeks before mating, female rats were maintained under a diet lacking vitamin A.