Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Application of Retinoic Acid to Obtain Osteocytes Cultures from Primary Mouse Osteoblasts
07:13

Application of Retinoic Acid to Obtain Osteocytes Cultures from Primary Mouse Osteoblasts

Published on: May 13, 2014

13.9K

Retinoic acid signaling pathways

Norbert B Ghyselinck1, Gregg Duester2

  • 1Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Département de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS UMR7104), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM U1258), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA), 1 rue Laurent Fries, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, France norbert@igbmc.fr duester@SBPdiscovery.org.

Development (Cambridge, England)
|July 6, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Retinoic acid (RA), a vitamin A metabolite, regulates development in chordates by binding to nuclear receptors (RARs). Understanding RA

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A (retinol), is a crucial signaling molecule.
  • RA functions by binding to nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs), which control gene expression.
  • RA signaling is essential for the development of various tissues and organs in chordate animals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of retinoic acid signaling pathways.
  • To highlight the key roles of RA in embryonic development.
  • To inform therapeutic applications of RA in human health.

Main Methods:

  • Review of genetic studies in model organisms like mouse and zebrafish.
  • Analysis of embryos deficient in RA-generating enzymes or RARs.
  • Examination of gene transcription regulation by RA-RAR complexes.

Main Results:

  • RA signaling is vital for the development of the body axis, central nervous system, limbs, heart, eyes, and reproductive system.
  • RA-RARs can both activate and repress the transcription of critical developmental genes.
  • Genetic studies have elucidated specific functions of RA in organogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Retinoic acid signaling is a fundamental process in chordate development.
  • A comprehensive understanding of RA's developmental roles is essential for its therapeutic use.
  • Further research into RA signaling can lead to improved treatments for developmental disorders.
Keywords:
DevelopmentGenetic loss of functionRetinoic acidSignaling

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Development and Evaluation of a Cationic Nanoemulsion-Encapsulated Retinoic Acid System for Mucosal Vaccination06:02

Author Spotlight: Development and Evaluation of a Cationic Nanoemulsion-Encapsulated Retinoic Acid System for Mucosal Vaccination

Published on: February 23, 2024

1.2K
Prediction and Validation of Gene Regulatory Elements Activated During Retinoic Acid Induced Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation09:07

Prediction and Validation of Gene Regulatory Elements Activated During Retinoic Acid Induced Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

Published on: June 21, 2016

8.6K

Related Concept Videos

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
7.2K
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...
6.5K
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...
9.9K
Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways01:28

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but...
2.9K
IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway01:11

IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway

Membrane lipids such as phosphatidylinositol (PI) are precursors for several membrane-bound and soluble second messengers. Specific kinases phosphorylate PI and produce phosphorylated inositol phospholipids. One such inositol phospholipids are the  phosphatidylinositol-4,5 bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2], present in the inner half of the lipid bilayer. Upon ligand binding, GPCR stimulates Gq proteins to turn on phospholipase Cꞵ. Activated phospholipase Cꞵ cleaves PI(4,5)P2 and...
14.3K
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway01:28

Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure...
6.2K