Neutrophil maturation and the role of retinoic acid

Neutrophil maturation occurs in well defined morphological stages that correlate with the acquisition of molecular markers associated with neutrophil function. A variety of factors are known to play a role in terminal neutrophil maturation, including the vitamin A derivative, retinoic acid. Retinoic acid can directly modulate gene expression via binding to its nuclear receptors, which can, in turn, activate transcription of target genes. A role for retinoic acid during neutrophil maturation has been suggested from a variety of sources. Here we present a review of the mechanism of retinoic acid receptor action and the major evidence showing that normal retinoid signaling is required for neutrophil maturation.