Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Application of Retinoic Acid to Obtain Osteocytes Cultures from Primary Mouse Osteoblasts
Published on: May 13, 2014
Retinoids and their receptors in skeletal development
1School of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. tunderhi@julian.uwo.ca
Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are crucial for skeletal development. Their presence can inhibit cartilage formation, while their absence leads to cartilage deficiencies and ectopic bone growth, highlighting their fundamental role.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Skeletal Biology
Background:
- The embryonic vertebrate limb is a key model for studying skeletal morphogenesis.
- Endochondral ossification forms the appendicular skeleton from a cartilage template.
- Retinoic acid (RA), a vitamin A metabolite, significantly influences skeletal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) in skeletal development.
- To understand how RARs regulate chondrogenesis and endochondral ossification.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of RA teratogenesis experimental data.
- Genetic analysis of receptor function.
- Studying the impact of RARs on gene transcription.
Main Results:
- Ligand-activated RARs or inappropriate RAR expression can inhibit chondrogenesis.
- Absence of RARs can cause cartilage formation deficiencies.
- RARs can promote chondrogenesis at ectopic sites.
Conclusions:
- RARs play a fundamental role in early skeletal development.
- RARs are critical for prechondrogenic condensation formation.
- RARs regulate the differentiation of chondroblasts.
More Related Videos
09:04Analysis of Retinoic Acid-induced Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Two and Three-dimensional Embryoid Bodies
Published on: April 22, 2017
05:03Quantitative Analysis of Dietary Vitamin A Metabolites in Murine Ocular and Non-Ocular Tissues Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
Published on: December 27, 2024
Related Concept Videos
The Retinoblastoma Gene
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,...
Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling
TGF - β Signaling Pathway
The Retinoblastoma Gene
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,...
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes: