To understand institutional racism, it is important to understand the interaction between prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice is an attitude that is based on limited information or stereotypes.
Vitamin A is involved in regulating the growth and specialization (differentiation) of virtually all cells in the human body. Vitamin A has important roles in embryonic development, organ formation during fetal development, normal immune functions, and eye development and vision.
Cell differentiation refers to the normal process by which a less specialized cell goes through development and maturation in order to become more distinct in terms of form and function. It is the process in which a cell changes into another cell type. During cell differentiation, the changes may include cell shape, cell size, membrane potential, metabolic activities, and responsiveness. These changes are brought about by modifications in gene expressions. An example of cell differentiation is the development of a single-celled zygote into a multicellular embryo that further develops into a more complex multisystem of distinct cell types of a fetus. The cell size, shape, polarity, metabolism and responsiveness to signals change dramatically such that a less specialized cell becomes more specialized and acquires a more specific role.