title: Concise review: MicroRNA expression in multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells.
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells, or multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), isolated from various adult tissue sources have the capacities to self-renew and to differentiate into multiple lineages. Both of these processes are tightly regulated by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Emerging evidence indicates that the class of single-stranded noncoding RNAs known as microRNAs also plays a critical role in this process. First described in nematodes and plants, microRNAs have been shown to modulate major regulatory mechanisms in eukaryotic cells involved in a broad array of cellular functions. Studies with various types of embryonic as well as adult stem cells indicate an intricate network of microRNAs regulating key transcription factors and other genes, which in turn determine cell fate. In addition, expression of unique microRNAs in specific cell types serves as a useful diagnostic marker to define a particular cell type. MicroRNAs are also found to be regulated by extracellular signaling pathways that are important for differentiation into specific tissues, suggesting that they play a role in specifying tissue identity. In this review, we describe the importance of microRNAs in stem cells, focusing on our current understanding of microRNAs in MSC and their derivatives.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Invitrogen Corporation, 1600 Faraday Avenue, Carlsbad, California 92008, USA. uma.lakshmipathy@invitrogen.com
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lakshmipathy
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015870:Gene Expression; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs