Tom F. answered • 12/07/21
Physician with science and writing experience
This can become a very complex question depending on how deep into the pathophysiology you get, but the main answer is vitamin A. Vitamin A has the crucial role of regulating squamous cell differentiation, including keratinocyte differentiation. This differentiation allows precursor squamous cells to morph and mitose into various types of epithelium. A good example of this is a condition of the eye known as keratomalacia. Keratomalacia is caused by prolonged periods of low levels of vitamin A, preventing some of the corneal epithelium of the eye to differentiate. It can cause vision disruption, night blindness, and make the cornea of the eye have an extreme cloudy appearance.
Hope this helps!
