On the Concentration of Vitamins A and E in the Tissues of the Bank Vole (Myodes (Clethrionomys) glareolus) and Common Shrew (Sorex araneus) Inhabiting Karelia

Abstract We have studied the concentration of vitamins A (retinol) and E (α-tocopherol) in the tissues of the bank vole (Myodes (Clethrionomys) glareolus) and common shrew (Sorex araneus) inhabiting the northern periphery of its natural habitat. The distribution of vitamin A in the common shrew and bank vole tissues is similar: the highest concentration is found in the liver, and the lowest level is found in the heart. Age-related differences in the retinol concentration are detected in the kidneys of the two species, as well as in the skeletal muscle of the shrew. A significantly lower vitamin E concentration is found in all organs of young shrews before wintering, compared to adult overwintered animals, while in the bank vole no such age-related differences are found. Interspecies differences in the levels of vitamins A and E in the liver of overwintered animals are revealed. The results obtained show that the concentration of vitamins A and E in the tissues of the bank vole and the common shrew is determined by metabolic processes and the ecological characteristics of the species. The level of vitamins in the common shrew depends largely on age.