This light micrograph at a magnification of about 250 times reveals the feathery patterns made by vitamin C as it crystallizes out of solution. In normal light, the crystals are colourless but here, in polarized light, they appear in colours that reveal their thickness and orientation. Vitamin C has many important functions in the body. It is essential for growth and the maintenance of the body's structural materials and such as teeth and bones, helps protect DNA from damage and stimulates the immune system against infection.