The function of RXRA (retinoid X receptor alpha, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000186350) is as follows. Receptor for retinoic acid that acts as a transcription factor (PubMed:10874028, PubMed:11162439, PubMed:11915042, PubMed:37478846). 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 (PubMed:10195690, PubMed:11162439, PubMed:11915042, PubMed:16107141, PubMed:17761950, PubMed:18800767, PubMed:19167885, PubMed:28167758, PubMed:37478846). 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 (PubMed:10195690, PubMed:11162439, PubMed:11915042, PubMed:17761950, PubMed:28167758). The high affinity ligand for retinoid X receptors (RXRs) is 9-cis retinoic acid (PubMed:1310260). In the absence of ligand, the RXR-RAR heterodimers associate with a multiprotein complex containing transcription corepressors that induce histone deacetylation, chromatin condensation and transcriptional suppression (PubMed:20215566). On ligand binding, the corepressors dissociate from the receptors and coactivators are recruited leading to transcriptional activation (PubMed:20215566, PubMed:37478846, PubMed:9267036). Serves as a common heterodimeric partner for a number of nuclear receptors, such as RARA, RARB and PPARA (PubMed:10195690, PubMed:11915042, PubMed:28167758, PubMed:29021580). The RXRA/RARB heterodimer can act as a transcriptional repressor or transcriptional activator, depending on the RARE DNA element context (PubMed:29021580). The RXRA/PPARA heterodimer is required for PPARA transcriptional activity on fatty acid oxidation genes such as ACOX1 and the P450 system genes (PubMed:10195690). Together with RARA, positively regulates microRNA-10a expression, thereby inhibiting the GATA6/VCAM1 signaling response to pulsatile shear stress in vascular endothelial cells (PubMed:28167758). Acts as an enhancer of RARA binding to RARE DNA element (PubMed:28167758). May facilitate the nuclear import of heterodimerization partners such as VDR and NR4A1 (PubMed:12145331, PubMed:15509776). Promotes myelin debris phagocytosis and remyelination by macrophages (PubMed:26463675). Plays a role in the attenuation of the innate immune system in response to viral infections, possibly by negatively regulating the transcription of antiviral genes such as type I IFN genes (PubMed:25417649). Involved in the regulation of calcium signaling by repressing ITPR2 gene expression, thereby controlling cellular senescence (PubMed:30216632). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:10195690, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10874028, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11162439, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11915042, ECO:0000269|PubMed:12145331, ECO:0000269|PubMed:1310260, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15509776, ECO:0000269|PubMed:16107141, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17761950, ECO:0000269|PubMed:18800767, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19167885, ECO:0000269|PubMed:20215566, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25417649, ECO:0000269|PubMed:26463675, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28167758, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29021580, ECO:0000269|PubMed:30216632, ECO:0000269|PubMed:37478846, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9267036}.