title: MicroRNAs in platelet production and activation.
abstract: MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that modulate protein expression by degrading mRNA or repressing translation. They have been shown to play important roles in hematopoiesis, including embryonic stem cell differentiation, erythropoiesis, granulocytopoiesis/monocytopoiesis, lymphopoiesis, and megakaryocytopoiesis. miR-150 and miR-155 play divergent roles in megakaryocytopoiesis, with the former promoting development of megakaryocytes at the expense of erythrocytes and the latter causing a reduction in megakaryocyte colony formation. Platelets also contain fully functional miRNA machinery, and certain miRNA levels in platelets have been found to coordinate with reactivity to specific agonists and to pathologic states. This review will cover the current state of knowledge of miRNAs in megakaryocytes and platelets and the exciting possibilities for future research.
authors.affiliation: Thomas Jefferson University, Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research and the Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Leonard C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Edelstein
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Bray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000235:genetics*; D034061:Thrombopoiesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; C542542:MIRN146 microRNA, human; C533097:MIR150, human; C524942:MIRN155 microRNA, human; C522425:MIRN34 microRNA, human