Vitamin K

Vitamin K denotes a group of 2-methilo-naphthoquinone derivatives. They are human vitamins, lipophilic (i.e., soluble in lipids) and therefore hydrophobic (i.e., insoluble in water). They are needed for the posttranslational modification of certain proteins, mostly required for blood coagulation.

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Normally it is produced by bacteria in the intestines, and dietary deficiency is extremely rare unless the intestines are heavily damaged.

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Vitamin K is a group name for a number of related compounds, which have in common a methylated naphthoquinone ring structure, and which vary in the aliphatic side chain attached at the 3-position (see figure 1). Phylloquinone (also known as vitamin K1) invariably contains in its side chain four isoprenid residues one of which is unsaturated.

Vitamin: A Vitamin is an organic molecule required by a living organism in minute amounts for normal health. An organism deprived of all sources of a particular vitamin will eventually suffer from disease symptoms specific to the missing vitamin....

Lipophilic: REDIRECT Lipophilicity...

Lipids: REDIRECT lipid...

Vitamin K related Images and Photos (experimental)

Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid . Polarized Lm

Skin of a Person with Scurvy Caused by a Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid Deficiency