Retinoic acid, all trans

Retinoic acid is the active metabolite of vitamin A. It is a potent modulator of growth and differentiation exerting its effects by binding to nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs) which directly regulate gene expression. All trans retinoic acid binds to RAR α, β and γ subtypes with Kd values of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.2 nM respectively. RARs function as ligand-dependent transcription factors. Retinoic Acid also promotes the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells into adipocytes, neurons and glia in vitro. It guides development of the posterior part of the embryo.