title: MicroRNAs and the skin: tiny players in the body's largest organ.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are very small endogenous RNA molecules about 22-25 nucleotides in length, capable of post-transcriptional gene regulation. miRNAs bind to their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to cleavage or suppression of target mRNA translation based on the degree of complementarity. miRNAs have recently been shown to play pivotal roles in diverse developmental and cellular processes and linked to a variety of skin diseases and cancers. Disruption of miRNA metabolism is also involved in wound healing and inflammatory skin conditions. Here, we review the role of miRNAs in cutaneous biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstr. 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany. michael.sand@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gambichler
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skrygan
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Altmeyer
authors.forename: Falk G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Bechara
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012867:Skin / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs