RT Journal
A1 Mitka M
T1 FEtal alcohol clues
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2009
FD June 3
VO 301
IS 21
SP 2202
OP 2202
DO 10.1001/jama.2009.758
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.758
AB 
Previously, scientists had discovered that exposing a frog embryo to alcohol during gastrulation reduces retinoic acid (RA) signaling (which is required for normal embryogenesis) and can result in the abnormalities associated with the disorder. Researchers theorized that alcohol exerts this effect on RA through the enzyme retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (RALDH2), which appears in vertebrate embryos at the onset of gastrulation and is involved in metabolizing vitamin A to RA.