DOI: 10.1126/science.6251551. Photosynthesis of Previtamin D <sub>3</sub> in Human Skin and the Physiologic Consequences

Photosynthesis of Previtamin D 3 in Human Skin and the Physiologic Consequences

10.1126/science.6251551

Crossref journal-article

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Science (221)

Abstract

Photosynthesis of previtamin D 3 can occur throughout the epidermis and in the dermis when hypopigmented Caucasian skin is exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation. Once previtamin D 3 is formed in the skin, it undergoes a temperature-dependent thermal isomerization that takes at least 3 days to complete. The vitamin D-binding protein preferentially translocates the thermal product, vitamin D 3 , into the circulation. These processes suggest a unique mechanism for the synthesis, storage, and slow, steady release of vitamin D 3 from the skin into the circulation.

Bibliography

Holick, M. F., MacLaughlin, J. A., Clark, M. B., Holick, S. A., Potts, J. T., Anderson, R. R., Blank, I. H., Parrish, J. A., & Elias, P. (1980). Photosynthesis of Previtamin D 3 in Human Skin and the Physiologic Consequences. Science, 210(4466), 203â205.

Authors 9

M. F. Holick (first)
J. A. MacLaughlin (additional)
M. B. Clark (additional)
S. A. Holick (additional)
J. T. Potts (additional)
R. R. Anderson (additional)
I. H. Blank (additional)
J. A. Parrish (additional)
P. Elias (additional)

References 12 Referenced 625

BELSEY, R, PHYSIOLOGIC SIGNIFICANCE OF PLASMA TRANSPORT OF VITAMIN-D AND METABOLITES, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 57: 50 (1974). (10.1016/0002-9343(74)90767-0) / AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (1974)
BLANK, I.H., J INVEST DERMATOL 29: 292 (1957). / J INVEST DERMATOL (1957)
ELIAS, P.M., STAPHYLOCOCCAL SCALDED SKIN SYNDROME, ARCHIVES OF DERMATOLOGY 113: 207 (1977). (10.1001/archderm.1977.01640020079014) / ARCHIVES OF DERMATOLOGY (1977)
ESVELT, R.P., VITAMIN-D3 FROM RAT SKINS IRRADIATED INVITRO WITH ULTRAVIOLET-LIGHT, ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS 188: 282 (1978). (10.1016/S0003-9861(78)80010-1) / ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS (1978)
FIESER, L.F., STEROIDS: 90 (1959). / STEROIDS (1959)
HAVINGA, E, VITAMIN-D, EXAMPLE AND CHALLENGE, EXPERIENTIA 29: 1181 (1973). (10.1007/BF01935064) / EXPERIENTIA (1973)
HESS, A.F., The cure of infantile rickets by sunlight - Preliminary note, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 77: 39 (1921). / JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (1921)
HOLICK, M.F., PHOTOMETABOLISM OF 7-DEHYDROCHOLESTEROL TO PRE-VITAMIN-D3 IN SKIN, BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 76: 107 (1977). (10.1016/0006-291X(77)91674-6) / BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS (1977)
HOLICK, M.F., ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PRE-VITAMIN D3 FROM THE SKIN OF RATS EXPOSED TO ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATION, BIOCHEMISTRY 18: 1003 (1979). (10.1021/bi00573a011) / BIOCHEMISTRY (1979)
HULDSCHINSKY, K, Treatment of rachitis by means of synthetic Alpine sun., DEUTSCHE MEDIZINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT 45: 712 (1919). (10.1055/s-0028-1137830) / DEUTSCHE MEDIZINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT (1919)
OKANO, T, PHOTOCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF 7-DEHYDROCHOLESTEROL INTO VITAMIN-D3 IN RAT SKINS, JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY 23: 165 (1977). (10.3177/jnsv.23.165) / JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY (1977)
RAUSCHKOLB, E.W., IDENTIFICATION OF VITAMIN D3 IN HUMAN SKIN, JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY 53: 289 (1969). (10.1038/jid.1969.149) / JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY (1969)

Dates

Type	When
Created	18 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 5, 2006, 1:45 p.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 14, 2024, 5:24 p.m.)
Indexed	6 days, 8 hours ago (Aug. 28, 2025, 8:47 a.m.)
Issued	44 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 10, 1980)
Published	44 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 10, 1980)
Published Print	44 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 10, 1980)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Holick_1980, title={Photosynthesis of Previtamin D 3 in Human Skin and the Physiologic Consequences}, volume={210}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.6251551}, DOI={10.1126/science.6251551}, number={4466}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Holick, M. F. and MacLaughlin, J. A. and Clark, M. B. and Holick, S. A. and Potts, J. T. and Anderson, R. R. and Blank, I. H. and Parrish, J. A. and Elias, P.}, year={1980}, month=oct, pages={203–205} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        8,
        28
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-08-28T12:47:01Z",
    "timestamp": 1756385221694
  },
  "reference-count": 12,
  "publisher": "American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)",
  "issue": "4466",
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [],
    "crossmark-restriction": false
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1980,
        10,
        10
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:p>\n            Photosynthesis of previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            can occur throughout the epidermis and in the dermis when hypopigmented Caucasian skin is exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation. Once previtamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            is formed in the skin, it undergoes a temperature-dependent thermal isomerization that takes at least 3 days to complete. The vitamin D-binding protein preferentially translocates the thermal product, vitamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            , into the circulation. These processes suggest a unique mechanism for the synthesis, storage, and slow, steady release of vitamin D\n            <jats:sub>3</jats:sub>\n            from the skin into the circulation.\n          </jats:p>",
  "DOI": "10.1126/science.6251551",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2006,
        10,
        5
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2006-10-05T17:45:58Z",
    "timestamp": 1160070358000
  },
  "page": "203-205",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 625,
  "title": "Photosynthesis of Previtamin D\n            <sub>3</sub>\n            in Human Skin and the Physiologic Consequences",
  "prefix": "10.1126",
  "volume": "210",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "M. F.",
      "family": "Holick",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "J. A.",
      "family": "MacLaughlin",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "M. B.",
      "family": "Clark",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "S. A.",
      "family": "Holick",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "suffix": "Jr.",
      "given": "J. T.",
      "family": "Potts",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "R. R.",
      "family": "Anderson",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Photomedicine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "I. H.",
      "family": "Blank",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Photomedicine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "J. A.",
      "family": "Parrish",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Photomedicine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "given": "P.",
      "family": "Elias",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": [
        {
          "name": "Dermatology Section, Veterans Administration Hospital, San Francisco, California 94121"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "member": "221",
  "reference": [
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_1_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "50",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0002-9343(74)90767-0",
      "volume": "57",
      "year": "1974",
      "unstructured": "BELSEY, R, PHYSIOLOGIC SIGNIFICANCE OF PLASMA TRANSPORT OF VITAMIN-D AND METABOLITES, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 57: 50 (1974).",
      "journal-title": "AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_2_1",
      "first-page": "292",
      "volume": "29",
      "year": "1957",
      "unstructured": "BLANK, I.H., J INVEST DERMATOL 29: 292 (1957).",
      "journal-title": "J INVEST DERMATOL"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_3_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "207",
      "DOI": "10.1001/archderm.1977.01640020079014",
      "volume": "113",
      "year": "1977",
      "unstructured": "ELIAS, P.M., STAPHYLOCOCCAL SCALDED SKIN SYNDROME, ARCHIVES OF DERMATOLOGY 113: 207 (1977).",
      "journal-title": "ARCHIVES OF DERMATOLOGY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_4_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "282",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0003-9861(78)80010-1",
      "volume": "188",
      "year": "1978",
      "unstructured": "ESVELT, R.P., VITAMIN-D3 FROM RAT SKINS IRRADIATED INVITRO WITH ULTRAVIOLET-LIGHT, ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS 188: 282 (1978).",
      "journal-title": "ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_5_1",
      "first-page": "90",
      "year": "1959",
      "unstructured": "FIESER, L.F., STEROIDS: 90 (1959).",
      "journal-title": "STEROIDS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_6_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1181",
      "DOI": "10.1007/BF01935064",
      "volume": "29",
      "year": "1973",
      "unstructured": "HAVINGA, E, VITAMIN-D, EXAMPLE AND CHALLENGE, EXPERIENTIA 29: 1181 (1973).",
      "journal-title": "EXPERIENTIA"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_7_1",
      "first-page": "39",
      "volume": "77",
      "year": "1921",
      "unstructured": "HESS, A.F., The cure of infantile rickets by sunlight - Preliminary note, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 77: 39 (1921).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_8_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "107",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0006-291X(77)91674-6",
      "volume": "76",
      "year": "1977",
      "unstructured": "HOLICK, M.F., PHOTOMETABOLISM OF 7-DEHYDROCHOLESTEROL TO PRE-VITAMIN-D3 IN SKIN, BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 76: 107 (1977).",
      "journal-title": "BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_9_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1003",
      "DOI": "10.1021/bi00573a011",
      "volume": "18",
      "year": "1979",
      "unstructured": "HOLICK, M.F., ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PRE-VITAMIN D3 FROM THE SKIN OF RATS EXPOSED TO ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATION, BIOCHEMISTRY 18: 1003 (1979).",
      "journal-title": "BIOCHEMISTRY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_10_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "712",
      "DOI": "10.1055/s-0028-1137830",
      "volume": "45",
      "year": "1919",
      "unstructured": "HULDSCHINSKY, K, Treatment of rachitis by means of synthetic Alpine sun., DEUTSCHE MEDIZINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT 45: 712 (1919).",
      "journal-title": "DEUTSCHE MEDIZINISCHE WOCHENSCHRIFT"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_11_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "165",
      "DOI": "10.3177/jnsv.23.165",
      "volume": "23",
      "year": "1977",
      "unstructured": "OKANO, T, PHOTOCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF 7-DEHYDROCHOLESTEROL INTO VITAMIN-D3 IN RAT SKINS, JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY 23: 165 (1977).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE AND VITAMINOLOGY"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_1_12_1",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "289",
      "DOI": "10.1038/jid.1969.149",
      "volume": "53",
      "year": "1969",
      "unstructured": "RAUSCHKOLB, E.W., IDENTIFICATION OF VITAMIN D3 IN HUMAN SKIN, JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY 53: 289 (1969).",
      "journal-title": "JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY"
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "Science",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.6251551",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2024,
        1,
        14
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2024-01-14T22:24:15Z",
    "timestamp": 1705271055000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.6251551"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1980,
        10,
        10
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 12,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "4466",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          1980,
          10,
          10
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "alternative-id": [
    "10.1126/science.6251551"
  ],
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.6251551",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "0036-8075",
    "1095-9203"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "container-title-short": "Science",
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        1980,
        10,
        10
      ]
    ]
  }
}