MicroRNAs potentiate neural development.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenously expressed noncoding RNAs that regulate mRNA expression. In vertebrates, more distinct miRNAs are expressed in the brain than in any other tissue, where they are hypothesized to function in neural development. Recent reports describing the effects of specific miRNAs during development, and studies employing miRNA depletion as neural commitment proceeds in the embryo, support a requisite role for miRNAs in cell-fate decisions and provide clues to their function in other aspects of nervous system development.
Fineberg
Sarah K
SK
Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA.
Kosik
Kenneth S
KS
Davidson
Beverly L
BL
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology
D035683:MicroRNAs