Roles of microRNAs beyond development--metabolism and neural plasticity.
The importance of microRNAs during development is well recognized, but a number of studies indicate that their function extends to differentiated cells as well. Metabolic control and neural plasticity are dynamic processes in adult organisms and represent good examples where miRNA-mediated regulation affects the function of differentiated cells without changing their fate. We are summarizing the current understanding of how microRNAs contribute to post-transcriptional control of gene expression in these processes and, where possible, highlight in which mode of action--the "guardian" or the "tuning mode"--they are employed by the cell.
Aumiller
Verena
V
Gene Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 25, Munich, Germany.
Förstemann
Klaus
K
D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics*
D035683:MicroRNAs