title: MicroRNAs in development and disease.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of posttranscriptional regulators that have recently introduced an additional level of intricacy to our understanding of gene regulation. There are currently over 10,000 miRNAs that have been identified in a range of species including metazoa, mycetozoa, viridiplantae, and viruses, of which 940, to date, are found in humans. It is estimated that more than 60% of human protein-coding genes harbor miRNA target sites in their 3' untranslated region and, thus, are potentially regulated by these molecules in health and disease. This review will first briefly describe the discovery, structure, and mode of function of miRNAs in mammalian cells, before elaborating on their roles and significance during development and pathogenesis in the various mammalian organs, while attempting to reconcile their functions with our existing knowledge of their targets. Finally, we will summarize some of the advances made in utilizing miRNAs in therapeutics.
authors: Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA.
authors: Danish
authors: D
authors: Sayed
authors: Maha
authors: M
authors: Abdellatif
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004194:Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000639:trends; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000378:metabolism; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs