title: A brief introduction to RNAi and microRNAs in stem cells.
abstract: Recently, RNAi, including microRNAs (miRNAs), has become an important tool to investigate the regulatory mechanism of stem cell maintenance and differentiation. In this short chapter, we will give a brief overview of the discovery history, functions, and mechanisms of RNAi and miRNAs. We will also discuss RNAi as a tool to study stem cell function and the potential future practical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, East Carolina University, School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Murashov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs