title: Identification of microRNAs and application of RNA interference for gene targeting in vivo in the rat epididymis.
abstract: Identification, detection, and use of small-ribonucleic acid (RNA)  molecules have been paid increasing attention in the past decades. Here we  show studies of two interrelated lines of this research in a sperm  maturation-related organ, the epididymis. First, by using microarray and  small-RNA library screening systems, a series of spatially and temporally  regulated known and novel small regulatory RNA molecules, referred to as  microRNAs, has been identified and characterized. Second, small  double-stranded RNAs, called small interfering RNAs, emerged as a powerful  tool to knock down gene expression by a pathway known as RNA interference. It  has been successfully used to silence epididymal gene expression in vivo to  elucidate the function of several sperm motility- and capacitation-related  proteins in the rat epididymis.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Andrology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute ofBiochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Rd., Shanghai, China. ylzhang@sibs.ac.cn
authors.forename: Yong Lian
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin Song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Min Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018390:Gene Targeting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D013081:Sperm Motility
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded