Vitamin A (retinol) regulates embryonic development and adult epithelial function via metabolism to retinoic acid, a pleiotrophic regulator of gene expression. Retinoic acid is synthesized locally and functions in an autocrine or paracrine fashion, but the enzymes involved remain obscure. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes capable of metabolizing retinol include class I and class IV ADHs, with class III ADH unable to perform this function. ADHs also metabolize ethanol, and high levels of ethanol inhibit retinol metabolism, suggesting a possible mode of action for some of the medical complications of alcoholism. To explore whether any ADH isozymes are linked to retinoic acid synthesis, herein we have examined the expression patterns of all known classes of ADH in mouse embryonic and adult tissues, and also measured retinoic acid levels. Using in situ hybridization, class I ADH mRNA was localized in the embryo to the epithelia of the genitourinary tract, intestinal tract, adrenal gland, liver, conjunctival sac, epidermis, nasal epithelium, and lung, plus in the adult to epithelia within the testis, epididymis, uterus, kidney, intestine, adrenal cortex, and liver. Class IV ADH mRNA was localized in the embryo to the adrenal gland and nasal epithelium, plus in the adult to the epithelia of the esophagus, stomach, testis, epididymis, epidermis, and adrenal cortex. Class III ADH mRNA, in contrast, was present at low levels and not highly localized in the embryonic and adult tissues examined. We detected significant retinoic acid levels in the fetal kidney, fetal/adult intestine and adrenal gland, as well as the adult liver, lung, testis, epididymis, and uterus--all sites of class I and/or class IV ADH gene expression. These findings indicate that the expression patterns of class I ADH and class IV ADH, but not class III ADH, are consistent with a function in local retinoic acid synthesis needed for the development and maintenance of many specialized epithelial tissues.