Receptor for retinoic acid that acts as a transcription factor. Forms homo- or heterodimers with retinoic acid receptors (rars) and binds to target response elements in response to their ligands, all-trans or 9-cis retinoic acid, to regulate gene expression in various biological processes. The rar/rxr heterodimers bind to the retinoic acid response elements (RARE) composed of tandem 5'-AGGTCA-3' sites known as DR1-DR5 to regulate transcription. The high affinity ligand for rxrs is 9-cis retinoic acid. In the absence of ligand, the rar/rxr heterodimers associate with a multiprotein complex containing transcription corepressors that induce histone deacetylation, chromatin condensation and transcriptional suppression. On ligand binding, the corepressors dissociate from the receptors and coactivators are recruited leading to transcriptional activation. Homodimer. Heterodimer; with a rar molecule. Binds DNA preferentially as a rar/rxr heterodimer. Expressed both maternally and zygotically. In the embryo, expressed in the posterior hindbrain and anterior spinal cord at the 5-somite stage, with expression increasing through to the 15-somite stage. At the 15-somite stage, also expressed in the tail bud region. At the 18-somite stage, also found in the third neural crest stream. Composed of three domains: a modulating N-terminal domain, a DNA-binding domain and a C-terminal ligand-binding domain. Belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor family. NR2 subfamily. Extended N-terminus.