ALDH1A1

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1 also known as ALDH1A1 is an is_associated_with::enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ALDH1A1 gene.

Function
This protein belongs to the is_associated_with::aldehyde dehydrogenases family of proteins. Aldehyde dehydrogenase is the second enzyme of the major oxidative pathway of is_associated_with::alcohol metabolism. Two major liver isoforms of this enzyme, is_associated_with::cytosolic and is_associated_with::mitochondrial, can be distinguished by their electrophoretic mobilities, kinetic properties, and subcellular localizations. Most Caucasians have two major isozymes, while approximately 50% of East Asians have only the cytosolic isozyme, missing the mitochondrial isozyme. A remarkably higher frequency of acute is_associated_with::alcohol intoxication among East Asians than among Caucasians could be related to the absence of the mitochondrial isozyme. This gene encodes the main cytosolic isoform, which has a lower affinity for is_associated_with::aldehydes than the mitochondrial enzyme.

ALDH1A1 also belongs to the group of is_associated_with::corneal is_associated_with::crystallins that help maintain the transparency of the cornea.