Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Isolation of Lung Retinoid-Containing Cells by Cell Sorting
07:47

Isolation of Lung Retinoid-Containing Cells by Cell Sorting

Published on: April 11, 2025

Distinct roles for retinoic acid receptors alpha and beta in early lung morphogenesis

Tushar J Desai1, Felicia Chen, Jining Lü

  • 1Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, 80 East Concord Street R-304, Boston, MA 02118, USA.

Developmental Biology
|January 24, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Retinoic acid (RA) is not essential for initial lung cell fate but is crucial for proper lung bud formation. Balanced signaling through retinoic acid receptors (RAR) alpha and beta is critical for early lung development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Retinoic acid (RA) signaling is vital for organ development, yet its role in early lung development remains unclear.
  • Understanding how different retinoic acid receptors (RARs) mediate RA effects is crucial for comprehending lung organogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of RA on the initial stages of lung development.
  • To elucidate the specific roles of RAR alpha and RAR beta in mediating RA's effects on lung initiation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized genetic (Raldh2 null mice), pharmacological (synthetic retinoids), and explant culture techniques.
  • Analyzed lung development initiation in mice lacking RA signaling from the earliest foregut stages.
  • Investigated the effects of selective RAR alpha and RAR beta activation.

Main Results:

  • RA is dispensable for lung cell fate specification in the endoderm.
  • Activation of RAR beta, but not RAR alpha, induces fibroblast growth factor Fgf10 and lung bud morphogenesis.
  • Endogenous RAR alpha activity is required for maintaining RA signaling and refining RAR beta-mediated effects.

Conclusions:

  • Balanced activation of RAR alpha and RAR beta is critical for proper lung bud initiation.
  • Specific RARs play distinct and complementary roles in early lung development and endodermal differentiation.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Retinoic Acid-induced Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Two and Three-dimensional Embryoid Bodies09:04

Analysis of Retinoic Acid-induced Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Two and Three-dimensional Embryoid Bodies

Published on: April 22, 2017

Studying Wnt Signaling During Patterning of Conducting Airways13:00

Studying Wnt Signaling During Patterning of Conducting Airways

Published on: October 16, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply01:24

Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply

Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits.  Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl hydroxylase and factor...
TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:22

Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway02:33

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...