All-Trans Retinoic Acid, 5 g

A retinoid pathway activator supplied by STEMCELL Technologies. All-Trans Retinoic Acid is a derivative of Vitamin A that functions as a ligand for the retinoic acid receptor (RAR; IC50 = 14 nM). These receptors heterodimerize with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) and bind to retinoic acid response elements (RAREs) in DNA, where they act as transcription factors that alter gene expression.

The compound has a chemical formula of C20H28O2, a molecular weight of 300.4 g/mol, and a reported purity of ≥ 98%. It is a crystalline solid with a melting point of 178 °C and low solubility in aqueous media. Reported solubility is ≤ 65 mM in DMSO and ≤ 2 mM in absolute ethanol; a final DMSO concentration above 0.1% should be avoided due to potential cell toxicity. The product is stable at -20°C as supplied for 12 months from date of receipt and should be protected from prolonged exposure to light.

Published applications include promotion of motor neuron differentiation from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells, neuronal differentiation from neural stem cells, differentiation of pancreatic progenitors from human embryonic stem cells, adipocyte differentiation, and ventricular cardiomyocyte differentiation from mouse ES cells, as well as terminal differentiation of granulocytes. In cancer research, the compound is used to promote maturation of blast cells in differentiation therapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia. According to the Safety Data Sheet, it is classified as Reproductive Toxicity Category 1B, may damage fertility or the unborn child, causes skin irritation, and is very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.