Objective To investigate the expression of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) subtypes RAR-α, RAR-β, RAR-γ and retinal dehydrogenases 1(Raldh1), Raldh2 in the mouse embryonic hematopoiesis, so as to discuss the role of different RAR subtypes in embryonic hematopoiesis. Methods The yolk sac (YS) at embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5), aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region at E10.5 and E11.5, fetal liver (FL) at E13.5, E14.5 and E17.5 were harvested from the pregnant mice. The bone marrow (BM) was also harvested from adult mice. The mRNA levels of RAR-α, RAR-β, RAR-γ, Raldh1 and Raldh2 at the above four different hematopoietic sites were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results The mRNA levels of RAR-α, RAR-β, RAR-γ, Raldh1 and Raldh2 at E9.5 YS, E11.5 AGM regions and BM were significantly higher than those in other relevant hematopoietic tissues (P<0.01). Compared with the E10.5 AGM region, E11.5 AGM region had significantly increased mRNA levels of RAR-α, RAR-β, RAR-γ, Raldh1 and Raldh2 (P<0.01), but the mRNA levels of these genes in FL at E13.5-E17.5 were not significantly different. Conclusion The expressions of RAR-α, RAR-β, RAR-γ, Raldh1 and Raldh2 in YS, AGM regions and BM are consistent with the situation of colony forming unit erythroid (CFU-E), suggesting that retinoic acid is closely related to the formation of hematopoiesis in the YS, AGM region and BM in mouse, but has less correlation with the FL in mouse.