carotin

car·o·tene   (kār'ə-tēn')    n.  An orange-yellow to red crystalline pigment, C40H56, found in animal tissue and certain plants, such as carrots and squash. It exists in several isomeric forms and is converted to vitamin A in the liver. [German Karotin, from Latin carōta, carrot; see carrot.]

Main Entry: car·o·tene
Pronunciation: 'kar-&-"tEn
Function: noun
: any of several orange or red crystalline hydrocarbon pigments (asC₄₀H₅₆) that occur in the chromoplasts of plants and in the fatty tissues of plant-eating animals and are convertible to vitamin A —see BETA-CAROTENE

carotene car·o·tene (kār'ə-tēn') or car·o·tin (-tĭn)
n.
An orange-yellow to red crystalline pigment that exists in three isomeric forms designated alpha, beta, and gamma; it is converted to vitamin A in the liver and is found in animal tissue and certain plants, such as carrots and squash.

carotene   (kār'ə-tēn')  Pronunciation Key  Any of various organic compounds that occur as orange-yellow to red pigments in many plants and in animal tissue. In plant leaves, carotenes aid in the absorption of light energy by transferring the energy to chlorophyll and act as antioxidants protecting chlorophyll from damage by oxidation. In animals, carotenes are converted to vitamin A primarily in the liver. They are members of the carotenoid family of compounds and give plants such as carrots, pumpkins, and dandelions their characteristic color. Chemical formula: C40H56. See also xanthophyll.