The retinoic acid receptor (RAR) is a nuclear receptor that mediates the effects of retinoic acid and influences processes such as embryonic development, cell differentiation, immune system modulation, and apoptosis. The RAR luciferase reporter vector is designed to study the transcriptional activity of this receptor. The vector contains an RAR DNA consensus binding site and TA minimal promoter upstream of a firefly luciferase reporter gene, which can specifically report RAR activity while maintaining a low basal level of transcription.
 
The inclusion of a hygromycin resistance gene in the vector allows it to be used for stable cell line selection. Additionally, a GFP-tagged version of the vector is available for monitoring transfection efficiency. Maps of the vector, including hygromycin and GFP configurations, can be found in the product's image gallery.